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Philemon 15-16 King James Version (KJV)
15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;
16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
Philemon 15-16 Good News Translation (GNT)
15 It may be that Onesimus was away from you for a short time so that you might have him back for all time. 16 And now he is not just a slave, but much more than a slave: he is a dear brother in Christ. How much he means to me! And how much more he will mean to you, both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord!
Good News Translation (GNT) Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society
These are my thoughts, please share yours.
15-16 Paul lets him know that his servant leaving was for the best because now he has changed and will never run again once he returns but Paul is asking that he not return just quiet yet because Paul needs his help. This is also a reference to him now being a believer and how they all would be in eternity together, this doesn’t mean he would still be a servant in heaven but means that he now was his brother and that bound wouldn’t ever be broken. They now would have a greater relationship; he would be a better servant now because he now served the Lord first as a fellow believer. He wasn’t free from being a servant now that he was come to Jesus but had more of us a reason to live for the role he was called into. We have more reason when we have Jesus because we are to live for Him.
15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;
16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
Philemon 15-16 Good News Translation (GNT)
15 It may be that Onesimus was away from you for a short time so that you might have him back for all time. 16 And now he is not just a slave, but much more than a slave: he is a dear brother in Christ. How much he means to me! And how much more he will mean to you, both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord!
Good News Translation (GNT) Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society
These are my thoughts, please share yours.
15-16 Paul lets him know that his servant leaving was for the best because now he has changed and will never run again once he returns but Paul is asking that he not return just quiet yet because Paul needs his help. This is also a reference to him now being a believer and how they all would be in eternity together, this doesn’t mean he would still be a servant in heaven but means that he now was his brother and that bound wouldn’t ever be broken. They now would have a greater relationship; he would be a better servant now because he now served the Lord first as a fellow believer. He wasn’t free from being a servant now that he was come to Jesus but had more of us a reason to live for the role he was called into. We have more reason when we have Jesus because we are to live for Him.
