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Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Philemon 1:11

To thee unprofitable, but now profitable, &c.— The word Onesimus is generallyknown to signifyprofitable, and Onesiphorus is much of the same import: they were names which might perhaps have been given to slaves by way of good omen, expressing expectation that they would bring advantage to their masters; and it is very evident that St. Paul refers to the etymology of the word.

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See also Philemon 1:11 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Philemon 1:11. _WAS TO THEE UNPROFITABLE_] Alluding to the meaning of Onesimus's name, as has been already noted; though the apostle uses a different Greek word to express the same idea....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WHICH IN TIME PAST WAS TO THEE UNPROFITABLE - Either because he was indolent; because he had wronged him (compare the notes at Philemon 1:18), or because he had run away from him. It is possible that...

  • 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

    UNPROFITABLE. not useful. Greek. achrestos. Only here. Figure of speech _Meiosis_. App-6. PROFITABLE. Greek. _euchrestos_. See 2 Timothy 2:21....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _in time past_ In the Greek, simply, ONCE. _unprofitable_ A gentle "play" on "_Helpful's_" name; an allusion, and no more (for no more was needed), to his delinquencies. To Onesimus himself Paul had n...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΤΌΝ ΠΟΤΈ ΣΟΙ ἌΧΡΗΣΤΟΝ, “who once was useless to thee.” ἄχρηστος here only in N.T. occurs a few times in LXX., but in no instance illustrating our passage. In Matthew 25:30; Luke 17:10 ἀχρεῖος is used...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    8–20. _The Request _...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΠΟΤΈ (G4218) прежде, ΆΧΡΗΣΤΟΣ (G890) бесполезный, бессмысленный, ΕΎΧΡΗΣΤΟΣ (G2173) полезный, ценный, выгодный. Возможно, игра слов, основанная на латинском имени Онисим....

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 2267 THE EFFICACY OF THE GOSPEL Philemon 1:10. _I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to the...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    11. WHO ONCE WAS UNPROFITABLE TO THEE, BUT NOW IS PROFITABLE TO THEE AND TO ME: a. Paul makes no attempt to cover up or deny the wrongs that Onesimus had done. He did not assume, as may do today, tha...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: WHICH IN TIME PAST WAS TO THEE UNPROFITABLE - belying his name, Onesimus, which means profitable. Not only was he un...

  • 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

    (11) IN TIME PAST... UNPROFITABLE, BUT NOW PROFITABLE. — The name _Onesimus_ means “useful,” or “profitable,” though derived from a different root from the words here used. It is hardly possible not t...

  • 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 1:8 (R.V.) After honest and affectionate praise of Philemon, the Apostle now approaches the main purpose of his letter. But even now he does not blurt it out at once. He probably a...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    A PLEA FOR THE RETURNING SLAVE Philemon 1:1 Onesimus had known the Apostle well in the old days when Paul visited at the house of his master Philemon, who seems to have been a man of importance. His...

  • 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...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Who heretofore was unprofitable to thee, in taking and spending what belonged to thee, yet now, after a sincere conversion, is profitable [5] both to me and thee; to me, by the services he has done m...

  • 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...

  • 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

    WHICH IN TIME PAST WAS TO THEE UNPROFITABLE,.... Yea, injurious and hurtful; one that was an eye servant, that loitered away his time, and set an ill example to fellow servants; and not only so, but e...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: Ver. 11. _But now profitable_] So is every true convert; there is little cause that men should boast they are no cha...

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

    _I beseech thee_ There is a beautiful emphasis in the repetition of these words, which he had introduced in the preceding verse; _for my son_ The son of my age. The order of the original words is this...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    UNPROFITABLE; when he was a servant to Philemon. The name Onesimus means profitable. NOW; since he had become a Christian....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    WHICH IN TIME PAST WAS TO THEE UNPROFITABLE, BUT NOW PROFITABLE TO THEE AND TO ME;...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    PAUL'S INTERCESSION FOR ONESIMUS....

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    8-14 It does not lower any one to condescend, and sometimes even to beseech, where, in strictness of right, we might command: the apostle argues from love, rather than authority, in behalf of one con...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    OLBGrk; WHICH IN TIME PAST WAS TO THEE UNPROFITABLE; acrhston he useth a soft word, for it appears, PHILEMON 1:18, he had WRONGED him, taking away some of his goods, and running away with them, withou...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Philemon 1:11 who G3588 once G4218 unprofitable G890 you G4671 but G1161 now G3570 profitable G2173 you G4671 and...

  • 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...

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

    Philemon 1:11. WHICH IN TIME PAST WAS TO THEE UNPROFITABLE. Alluding not only to the loss which Philemon had suffered by his slave absconding, but also to the bad service which a disaffected slave, re...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    ONESIMUS (Ονησιμον). A common name among slaves and made like Chresimus, Chrestus. The word is from ονησις (profit) and that from ονινημ, to profit, to help.WHO WAS AFORETIME UNPROFITABLE TO THEE...

  • 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

    AT ONE TIME. Onesimus may have been a troublemaker in the past. The _Expositor's Greek Testament_ says: "As applied to Onesimus the reference must be to something wrong done by him; the fear of being...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PHILEMON—NOTE ON PHILEMON 1:8 Paul’s Appeal to Philemon for Onesimus. Paul makes his appeal by first describing the remarkable change that has happened to Onesimus (vv. Philem

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PHILEMON—NOTE ON PHILEMON 1:11 USELESS... USEFUL. The play on words describes the “before and after” of Onesimus’s conversion. By stealing from Philemon and running away, Onesimus had become “useless....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES_ Philemon 1:8. THOUGH I MIGHT BE MUCH BOLD.—R.V. better, “though I have all boldness.” St. Paul feels that his relationship to Philemon might warrant the casting away...

  • 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

    Job 30:1,2; Matthew 25:30; Luke 17:10; Romans 3:12; 1 Peter 2:10;...

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

    Unprofitable [α χ ρ η σ τ ο ν]. A play on the word Onesimus profitable. Compare unprofitable [α χ ρ ε ι ο ς] servant, Matthew 25:30. These plays upon proper names are common both in Greek and Roman li...

  • 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

    Now profitable — None should be expected to be a good servant before he is a good man. He manifestly alludes to his name, Onesimus, which signifies profitable....

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