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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Philemon 1:15

PHILEMON—NOTE ON Philemon 1:15 why he was parted from you. God is understood to be sovereignly behind the events. It is like Joseph’s remark to his brothers that “it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Genesis 45:8).

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See also Philemon 1:15 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Philemon 1:15. _HE-DEPARTED FOR A SEASON_] This is another most delicate stroke. He departed thy _slave_, thy _unfaithful slave_; he departed _for a short time_; but so has the mercy of God ope...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    FOR PERHAPS HE THEREFORE DEPARTED FOR A SEASON - Perhaps on this account, or for this reason - διὰ τοῦτο dia touto - he left you for a little time. Greek, “for an hour” - πρὸς ὥραν pros hōran. T...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATION _ 1. The greeting (Philemon 1:1)_ 2. Recognition of Philemon's faith and love (Philemon 1:4) 3. Concerning the reception of Onesimus (Philemon 1:8) 4.The conclusion ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE REQUEST ON BEHALF OF ONESIMUS. Paul might confidently presume to issue commands to Philemon Paul an ambassador, and at the time of writing actually a prisoner, of Christ Jesus but for love's sake...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    A MAN TO WHOM IT WAS EASY TO APPEAL (Philemon 1:1-7)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    I could well be bold in Christ to give you orders as to where your duty lies, but for love's sake I would rather put it in the form of a request, I, Paul, such as I am, an old man now, a prisoner of C...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    PERHAPS. Greek. _tacha_. Only here and Romans 5:7. THEREFORE. because of (App-104.Philemon 1:2; Philemon 1:2) this. DEPARTED. was separated. Greek. _chorizo_. First occurance:...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _For_ He gives a new reason for Onesimus" return. Perhaps it was _on purpose for_such a more than restoration that he was permitted to desert Philemon. So to send him back is to carry out God's plan....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΤΆΧΑ ΓᾺΡ. γὰρ states another reason for St Paul not retaining Onesimus, viz. that God in permitting his flight may have had Philemon’s own interests in view, τάχα (Romans 5:7†) shows that this is mere...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    8–20. _The Request _...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΤΆΧΑ (G5029) может быть, ΈΧΩΡΊΣΘΗ _aor. ind. pass. от_ ΧΩΡΊΖΩ (G5563) отделять, удаляться (убегать). _Pass._ может быть богословски пассивом,_евр._ способом выражения того, что действие выполнено Бог...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    FOR PERHAPS HE THEREFORE DEPARTED— As Philemon 1:13 were thrown in by way of parenthesis, this 15th verse must be considered as connected in sense with Philemon 1:12. As the event had been so happy, S...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    15. FOR PERHAPS HE WAS THEREFORE PARTED _FROM THEE_ FOR A SEASON, THAT THOU SHOULDEST HAVE HIM FOR EVER; a. Paul here presents a possibility (perhapsperadventure); Maybe Onesimus was separated from...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; PERHAPS - speaking humanly, yet as believing that God's providence probably (for we cannot dogmatically defin...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    4 The name Philemon means "fond". He seems to have been a most exemplary character, whose reputation had reached Paul's ears, and had given him joy in the midst of the sorrows and dangers of his situa...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    A VERY PRECIOUS LETTER PAUL’S LETTER TO PHILEMON _KEITH NEVILLE AND MARION ADAMS_ ABOUT THIS LETTER This is a very personal letter. It does not teach about Christian beliefs. It does not give ad...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (15) FOR PERHAPS HE THEREFORE DEPARTED (or, _was parted_)_. — This_ is a further reason for sending Onesimus back. St. Paul now touches on Onesimus’ “being parted” from Philemon, using a phrase not on...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (8-20) Here St. Paul enters on the main subject of his Letter — the recommendation to Philemon of his runaway slave, Onesimus. All thoughtful readers of the Epistle must recognise in this a peculiar c...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 5 Philemon 1:15 (R.V.) The first words of these verses are connected with the preceding by the "for" at the beginning; that is to say, the thought that possibly the Divine purpose in permitti...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἐχωρίσθη : a very delicate way of putting it. πρὸς ὥραν : _cf._ 2 Corinthians 7:8; Galatians 2:5. αἰώνιον : there is no reason why this should not be taken in a literal sense, the reference being to O...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    TO BE RECEIVED AS A BROTHER Philemon 1:15 The Apostle's pleas for the restoration of Onesimus to his old trusted position in the household of Philemon are very touching. He suggests, first, that ther...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    A SPECIAL REQUEST FOR ONESIMUS Knowing Philemon shared out of love for the brethren, Paul made a request. As an apostle, he could have commanded but he set it forth as a plea based upon the love found...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    For perhaps he therefore (f) departed for (g) a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; (f) He uses a more gentle type of speech, but in reality, he ran away. (g) For a little time....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Do thou receive him as my own bowels. That is, as myself. Perhaps by the permission of God's providence (who never permits evil, but for some greater good) he departed from thee for a little while,[6...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    [BIBLIOGRAPHY] A little while. Literally, ad horam, _Greek: pros oran._...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, (9) Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _GOD’S OVERRULING PROVIDENCE_ ‘For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me,...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    15_For perhaps he was separated_. If we are angry on account of offenses committed by men, our minds ought to be soothed, when we perceive that those things which were done through malice have been tu...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The very beautiful and interesting Epistle to Philemon does not require much comment; it is an expression of the love which works by the Spirit within the assembly of God in all the circumstances of i...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    FOR PERHAPS HE THEREFORE DEPARTED FOR A SEASON,.... The apostle in this clause seems to soften this business of Onesimus in running away from his master; he calls it not a running away, but a departur...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; Ver. 15. _For perhaps he therefore_] God hath a hand in ordering our disorders to his own glory and our good....

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For perhaps he therefore departed_ Δια τουτο εχωρισθη, _for this reason he was separated;_ a soft expression, to denote Onesimus's running away from his master; for it contains an insinuation that th...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    DEPARTED FOR A SEASON; from Philemon. RECEIVE HIM FOR EVER; as a disciple of Christ, one whom he was to love, and with whom he would hold sweet communion to eternity....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    For perhaps he therefore departed for a season that thou shouldest receive him forever;...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    ANOTHER POINT URGED BY THE APOSTLE....

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    15-22 When we speak of the nature of any sin or offence against God, the evil of it is not to be lessened; but in a penitent sinner, as God covers it, so must we. Such changed characters often become...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    OLBGrk; Onesimus in departing designed no such thing, but possibly God, in the wisdom of his providence, suffered him to depart from thee, and to fall into theft, that he might upon that occasion come...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Philemon 1:15 For G1063 G1223 perhaps G5029 departed G5563 (G5681) for G4314 while G5610 this G5124 that...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Philemon 1:15. FOR PERHAPS HE WAS THEREFORE PARTED FROM THEE FOR A SEASON. This more literal rendering brings out the force of the apostle's words more fully. St. Paul sees in the whole event somethin...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    _The Apostle's Petition and Arguments in support of it,_ vv. 8-22. St. Paul lays aside any claim which he might have been bold to make, and entreats that Onesimus may be taken back again. He makes thi...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    PERHAPS (ταχα). Old adverb, in N.T. only here and Romans 5:7.THAT THOU SHOULDST HAVE HIM (ινα αυτον απεχηις). Final clause with ινα and present active subjunctive of απεχω, to have back, "that th...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Philemon 1:15 Social Power of the Gospel. I. We see here, first of all, what sort of results St. Paul expected to flow from the reconciling and combining force of the Christian faith. In nothing does...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Greeting to Philemon. Intercession for Onesimus. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Timothy, Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, Paul, Epaphras, Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas. CONCLUSION: Wise and good...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    It MAY BE. "I know it made you unhappy when your slave ran away, but think about this. This may be God's providence at work. He will now be your slave for life." [Some see a reference to Deuteronomy 1...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Perhaps _ CONTINGENCY The word is used to express every degree of contingency from the faintest possibility to the highest probability. Two reasons may underlie the peculiar timidity and hesitatio...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES_ Philemon 1:12. WHOM I HAVE SENT AGAIN.—There were police—_the fugitivarii_—whose duty it was to track out runaway slaves: love succeeds better. Philemon 1:13. I WOULD...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION PHILEMON 1:1 A PRISONER OF CHRIST JESUS. He writes a private letter, as friend to friend, and therefore does not describe himself by his official title of apostle. Having to plead the cau...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Tonight let's turn to Philemon. Philemon was written by Paul the apostle unto the man whose name is Philemon who lived in Colossi. This letter was written at the same time that Paul wrote the Colossia...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Genesis 45:5; Genesis 50:20; Psalms 76:10; Isaiah 20:6; Acts 4:28...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    For perhaps. I sent him back, for, if I had kept him, I might have defeated the purpose for which he was allowed to be separated from you for a time. "We are not to be too sure of what God means by su...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    ONESIMUS Philemon 1:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS 1. The march of the Gospel in the early years. The Early Church gave itself very definitely to the propaganda of the Gospel. This had been the command of Go...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    God might permit him to be separated (a soft word) for a season, that thou mightest have him for ever — Both on earth and in heaven....

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Here our apostle answers an objection which possibly Philemon might make: Thus, "Onesimus ran away from me; what reason have. to receive him again?" The apostle seems thus to rely upon it: if his depa...

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