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Philemon 1 Bible study: For love’s sake

Philemon opens with two names, Paul and Timothy, then goes on as I. Though that I has "all boldness in Christ to command" (1:8), it says, "for love’s sake I rather appeal to you" (1:9). And the letter's heart words in 1:7, 1:12 and 1:20 stand on one Greek noun, which Strong's gives, figuratively, as "pity or sympathy".

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“For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.”
Philemon 1:7 · World English Bible

Try it · Did you catch it?

“Philemon says, "I rather appeal to you" (1:9), and in the next verse, "I appeal to you for my child Onesimus" (1:10).”

Is that in Philemon 1, or not? Make your call.

What's really going on

From Paul and Timothy

In the text

Philemon opens with two senders and the readers they write to: "Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker, to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:" (1:1-2) (tap prisoner and fellow worker). Then the greeting: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (1:3). From 1:4 the letter goes on as I: "I thank my God always" (1:4). Its I names itself in "being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ" (1:9), and in "I, Paul, write this with my own hand" (1:19). After its greeting the letter speaks to a you it calls "brother" (1:7). These notes say nothing about when or where the letter was written, or about anyone it names, beyond what the letter says.

Honest questions

Questions people ask about Philemon 1

That was a taste

The rest of Philemon 1 is waiting in Favor

  • Hearing of your love and of the faith
  • Boldness to command, and an appeal
  • I appeal to you for my child Onesimus
  • Refresh my heart
  • A guest room, and greetings
  • Christ, in this chapter's own words
  • 13 questions as you read
  • 12 more Greek words
  • A short check at the end
  • Your notes, saved as you go
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The Greek word behind it

παρακαλέωparakaleosay par-ak-al-EH-o

Strong's: "to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation)". "yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you" (1:9), and "I appeal to you for my child Onesimus" (1:10): behind appeal both times is this verb (in both verses in all eight editions TAGNT compares). In 1:8, behind to command is another verb (tap command).

For your group

Philemon 1 Bible study questions

  1. 1"the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother" (1:7). Who has refreshed your heart, and how did they do it?
  2. 2"yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you" (1:9). What difference does it make to you when someone asks rather than tells?
  3. 3"I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers" (1:4). Whom could you thank God for, and mention in your prayers, this week?

Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads Philemon 1 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.

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Questions

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Last reviewed October 8, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home