Author
The author of the Book of Philemon was the apostle Paul.
Philemon is not an epistle because it was not a public document written to a church. Instead, it is a private and personal letter written to a person.
The is the first of Paul's four letters. The other three letters are I Timothy, II Timothy, and Titus.
Philemon is also the last of Paul's four prison epistles. The other three are Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.
How to Write Verses from Philemon
Because Philemon is only one chapter there is no need to write the scriptures like longer books with more than one chapter. For example, Galatians 2:20, but Philemon 3. There is no indication of a chapter since there is only one. Just write the verse without a chapter.
Purpose
The letter to Philemon is the shortest of all Paul's writings and deals with the practice of slavery. The letter suggests that Paul was in prison at the time of the writing. Philemon was a slave owner who also hosted a church in his home.
People in the Book
During the time of Paul's ministry in Ephesus, Philemon had likely journeyed to the city, heard Paul's preaching and became a Christian.
The slave Onesimus robbed his master, Philemon, and ran away, making his way to Rome and to Paul. Onesimus was still the property of Philemon, and Paul wrote to smooth the way for his return to his master.
Through Paul’s witnessing to him, Onesimus had become a Christian (Philemon 10) and Paul wanted Philemon to accept Onesimus as a brother in Christ and not merely as a slave.
Onesimus' names means "useful." In other words, he would return to his master being "useful" to one as a brother instead of being a mere slave.
Key Verses
Philemon 6: "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ."
Philemon 16: "…no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord."
Philemon 18: "If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me."
Brief Summary
Paul had warned slave owners that they had a responsibility towards their slaves and showed slaves as responsible moral beings who were to fear God. Paul did not condemn slavery, but he presented Onesimus as a Christian brother instead of a slave. When an owner can refer to a slave as a brother, the slave has reached a position in which the legal title of slave is meaningless.
In Ephesians 6:5-9 and Colossians 3:22-25, Paul gives advice to slaves and to their masters.
Read the Book of Philemon consisting of only one chapter.
Then take the short quiz based on the book.
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