Philemon 1:12

12 Whom I have sent back to thee. And do thou receive him as my own bowels.

Philemon 1:12 Meaning and Commentary

Philemon 1:12

Whom I have sent again
From Rome to Colosse, or to Philemon, wherever he was, along with this epistle:

thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels;
meaning his son, who, in a spiritual sense, came out of his bowels, to whom he stood in the relation of a spiritual father; so the Syriac version renders it, as my son, so receive him; see ( Genesis 15:4 ) ( 2 Samuel 16:11 ) and for whom he had a most strong affection, and tender regard; his bowels yearned for him, and he suggests by this expression, that should he reject him, it would give him the utmost pain and uneasiness; and he should be obliged to cry out as the Prophet Jeremy did, "my bowels, my bowels, I am pained at the very heart"; ( Jeremiah 4:19 ) wherefore he entreats him to receive him again into his house and family, into his service, and into his heart and affections, where the apostle had received him.

Philemon 1:12 In-Context

10 I beseech thee for my son, whom I have begotten in my bands, Onesimus,

11 Who hath been heretofore unprofitable to thee but now is profitable both to me and thee:

12 Whom I have sent back to thee. And do thou receive him as my own bowels.

13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered to me in the bands of the gospel.

14 But without thy counsel I would do nothing: that thy good deed might not be as it were of necessity, but voluntary.