Philemon 1:12

12 quem remisi tu autem illum id est mea viscera suscipe

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 obsecro te de meo filio quem genui in vinculis Onesimo

11 qui tibi aliquando inutilis fuit nunc autem et tibi et mihi utilis

12 quem remisi tu autem illum id est mea viscera suscipe

13 quem ego volueram mecum detinere ut pro te mihi ministraret in vinculis evangelii

14 sine consilio autem tuo nihil volui facere uti ne velut ex necessitate bonum tuum esset sed voluntarium