Philemon 1:12

Philemon 1:12. Whom I have sent back to thee in his own person. This is the rendering of the most authoritative text. The Greek of the later MSS. has been corrected, after some errors of scribes had crept into it, by the addition of the word for ‘receive him' from Philemon 1:17. But the oldest texts made a good sense. No doubt the discipline of Onesimus' return was food both for master and slave, to the latter that he might have an opportunity of making some amends for his previous wrongdoing, and might show that his Christianity was worth the name and was already fruitful in ripe actions; to Philemon also it was a benefit that he should be called on to exercise forgiveness for a serious wrong, while the more tender conduct which would be shown towards Onesimus in the future, would do something, if not much, toward loosening the bonds of any other slaves among the congregation at Colossæ.

even my very heart. See on Philemon 1:7. Some, taking the literal rendering of the Authorised Version, have considered this expression as equivalent to ‘my own child.' But St. Paul everywhere else uses the word rendered ‘bowels' for the seat of the feelings and emotions, so that it is better to interpret the words here as an expression of deep affection.