But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
The verse belongs to Paul's time as a prisoner on the way to Rome, after voyaging on the Castor and Pollux, landing at Puteoli, remaining seven days with the Christians there, and being met on the road to Rome by Italian believers who had received his letter to the Romans and loved him more because of his sufferings and chains. It stands in a letter that addresses the relationship of master and servant under the gospel within the Roman slave system, in which slaves were often subjected to severe and arbitrary cruelty. By this time Onesimus had become pious, sincere, tender in caring for Paul's comfort, and zealous for the gospel, and was fitted to be useful in missionary labor.
Paul desired to keep Onesimus with him in Rome to minister to him in his imprisonment in Philemon's place and as a helper in missionary work, but he would not do so without Philemon's mind and consent. He left the matter to Philemon to set him free of his own accord, so that Philemon's benefit and good deed and any service by Onesimus would be willing and freely granted rather than of necessity, forced, or under compulsion. He therefore counseled Onesimus to return without delay to Philemon at Colosse, ask forgiveness, and plan for the future, promising to hold himself responsible for the sum taken from Philemon, and sent him with Tychicus, who was carrying letters to the churches in Asia Minor.
In returning and giving himself up to the master he had wronged instead of turning aside from duty, Onesimus met a severe test that proved his conversion was genuine.
The verse belongs to Paul's time as a prisoner on the way to Rome, after voyaging on the Castor and Pollux, landing at Puteoli, remaining seven days with the Christians there, and being met on the road to Rome by Italian believers who had received his letter to the Romans and loved him more because of his sufferings and chains. It stands in a letter that addresses the relationship of master and servant under the gospel within the Roman slave system, in which slaves were often subjected to severe and arbitrary cruelty. By this time Onesimus had become pious, sincere, tender in caring for Paul's comfort, and zealous for the gospel, and was fitted to be useful in missionary labor.
Paul desired to keep Onesimus with him in Rome to minister to him in his imprisonment in Philemon's place and as a helper in missionary work, but he would not do so without Philemon's mind and consent. He left the matter to Philemon to set him free of his own accord, so that Philemon's benefit and good deed and any service by Onesimus would be willing and freely granted rather than of necessity, forced, or under compulsion. He therefore counseled Onesimus to return without delay to Philemon at Colosse, ask forgiveness, and plan for the future, promising to hold himself responsible for the sum taken from Philemon, and sent him with Tychicus, who was carrying letters to the churches in Asia Minor.
In returning and giving himself up to the master he had wronged instead of turning aside from duty, Onesimus met a severe test that proved his conversion was genuine.