Philemon 1:14

Philemon 1:14. but without thy mind. The con-sent of Philemon should first be gained, and St. Paul will not so far influence his Judgment in the matter, as to write while Onesimus is with him, and ask that he may remain, for then it would appear as if he put some constraint upon the master.

would I do nothing; in this particular business. He had done Philemon the service of persuading his slave to go back to him, but of that he says nothing. To found a claim on his own labours was the last thing in his mind.

that thy goodness. The kind act of suffering Onesimus to attend on St. Paul in his imprisonment. It can, however, hardly be thought the apostle expected the servant to be sent again to him from Colossæ. His imprisonment seems too near its close (see Philemon 1:22) for this. He can therefore only be speaking hypothetically, and meaning ‘that which would have been a kindness on thy part, had it been possible for it to be done,'

should not be as it were of necessity. Once more by his language St. Paul implies that he is sure of the love of Philemon. He knows that he would be ready to do him any kind act, but to the eye of the world, if St. Paul had kept Onesimus in Rome, and merely written to announce what he had done, it would have seemed as though no choice was left to the master as to what he should do. It would be as it were of necessity.

but willingly; and now, as there is no opportunity for such willing kindness, the other kindness toward Onesimus will be freely given in its stead.