Philemon 1:13
New International Version
I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.

New Living Translation
I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf.

English Standard Version
I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel,

Berean Standard Bible
I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

Berean Literal Bible
whom I was wishing to keep with myself, so that on behalf of you he might serve me in the chains of the gospel.

King James Bible
Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

New King James Version
whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

New American Standard Bible
whom I wanted to keep with me, so that in your behalf he might be at my service in my imprisonment for the gospel;

NASB 1995
whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel;

NASB 1977
whom I wished to keep with me, that in your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel;

Legacy Standard Bible
whom I intended to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel,

Amplified Bible
I would have chosen to keep him with me, so that he might minister to me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel;

Christian Standard Bible
I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place.

American Standard Version
whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For I was willing to keep him with me to minister to me on your behalf in the bondage of The Gospel.

Contemporary English Version
I would like to keep him here with me, where he could take your place in helping me while I am here in prison for preaching the good news.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered to me in the bands of the gospel:

English Revised Version
whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I wanted to keep him here with me. Then he could have served me in your place while I am in prison for spreading the Good News.

Good News Translation
I would like to keep him here with me, while I am in prison for the gospel's sake, so that he could help me in your place.

International Standard Version
I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel.

Literal Standard Version
whom I intended to retain to myself, that in your behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the good news,

Majority Standard Bible
I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

New American Bible
I should have liked to retain him for myself, so that he might serve me on your behalf in my imprisonment for the gospel,

NET Bible
I wanted to keep him so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the sake of the gospel.

New Revised Standard Version
I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel;

New Heart English Bible
whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.

Webster's Bible Translation
Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered to me in the bonds of the gospel:

Weymouth New Testament
It was my wish to keep him at my side for him to attend to my wants, as your representative, during my imprisonment for the Good News.

World English Bible
whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.

Young's Literal Translation
whom I did wish to retain to myself, that in thy behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the good news,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Appeal for Onesimus
12I am sending back to you him who is my very heart. 13I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will.…

Cross References
Philippians 1:7
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partners in grace with me.

Philemon 1:10
I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became while I was in chains.

Philemon 1:12
I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.


Treasury of Scripture

Whom I would have retained with me, that in your stead he might have ministered to me in the bonds of the gospel:

in thy stead.

1 Corinthians 16:17
I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.

Philippians 2:30
Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

the bonds.

Philemon 1:1
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,

Ephesians 3:1
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

Ephesians 4:1
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

Jump to Previous
Attend Behalf Bonds Chains Desire Desired Desirous Fain Glad Good Gospel Helping Imprisonment Keeping Kept Liked Minister Ministered News Order Representative Retain Retained Servant Serve Side Stead Wants Wish Wished
Jump to Next
Attend Behalf Bonds Chains Desire Desired Desirous Fain Glad Good Gospel Helping Imprisonment Keeping Kept Liked Minister Ministered News Order Representative Retain Retained Servant Serve Side Stead Wants Wish Wished
Philemon 1
1. Paul rejoices to hear of the faith and love of Philemon,
8. whom he desires to forgive his servant Onesimus, and lovingly to receive him again.














(13) Whom I would have retained.--In the original we have here a graceful distinction in two points between the two clauses. The verb in the first clause is "to wish;" in the second "to will." The tense in the first clause is the imperfect: "I was wishing," or "prepared to wish" (just as in Acts 25:22; and, in the case of a cognate verb, Romans 9:3), implying, perhaps, a suppressed condition; in the second it is the past definite: "I willed," or "determined" finally.

In thy stead.--Here, again, there is a certain delicacy of suggestion. A slave was his master's property; he could act only on his master's behalf and by his consent. St. Paul is sure that Philemon's love for him would have gladly given that consent, and so made Onesimus an instrument of willing service to St. Paul.

Verse 13. - I was wishing; I would fain have kept (Revised Version). The story tells itself if we read between the lines. What steadfast adherence to principle on the part of the apostle, when the help of Onesimus would have been so welcome to him in his weak health, and his position as a prisoner! Philemon could hardly fail to think more favorably of Onesimus, when he saw how much importance the apostle attached to his services. In the bonds of the gospel. "Which I am enduring for the sake of the gospel" (see Ver. 9) - a variation of phrase from Ver. 9 (and of our Lord's words, Mark 8:35; Mark 10:29).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
I
ἐγὼ (egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

would have liked
ἐβουλόμην (eboulomēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1014: To will, intend, desire, wish. Middle voice of a primary verb; to 'will, ' i.e. be willing.

to keep
κατέχειν (katechein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 2722: From kata and echo; to hold down, in various applications.

[him]
ὃν (hon)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

with
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

me,
ἐμαυτὸν (emauton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1683: Genitive case compound of emou and autos; of myself so likewise the dative case emautoi em-ow-to', and accusative case emauton em-ow-ton'.

so that
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

on your behalf
σοῦ (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

he could minister to
διακονῇ (diakonē)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1247: From diakonos; to be an attendant, i.e. Wait upon (figuratively) teacher; technically, to act as a Christian deacon.

me
μοι (moi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

[my]
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

chains
δεσμοῖς (desmois)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1199: Or desmos des-mos' neuter and masculine respectively from deo; a band, i.e. Ligament or shackle; figuratively, an impediment or disability.

for the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

gospel.
εὐαγγελίου (euangeliou)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 2098: From the same as euaggelizo; a good message, i.e. The gospel.


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NT Letters: Philemon 1:13 Whom I desired to keep with me (Phm Phl)
Philemon 1:12
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