Person New Testament
Philemon
Philemon, a Christian from Colossae to whom Paul wrote a letter appealing for the reconciliation with his runaway slave, Onesimus. Mentioned once in Scripture, at Philemon 1:1.
Why it matters. Recipient of Paul's letter, Colossian slave owner
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Philemon
Philemon was a Christian from the city of Colossae to whom the Apostle Paul wrote a personal letter. The letter, which is included in the New Testament canon, deals with the situation of Onesimus, Philemon's slave who had run away and had subsequently become a Christian under Paul's ministry.
In the letter, Paul appeals to Philemon to receive Onesimus back, not as a slave, but as a beloved brother in Christ. Paul emphasizes the transformation that has taken place in Onesimus' life and urges Philemon to demonstrate forgiveness and reconciliation.
Although the specific outcome of Paul's request is not recorded in the Bible, the letter provides valuable insights into the early Christian church's approach to social issues, such as slavery, and the transformative power of the gospel in personal relationships. The letter also demonstrates Paul's pastoral concern for both Onesimus and Philemon and his desire to see the principles of Christian love and unity applied in their situation.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 1 verse across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.
Philemon (1 verse)