Topic
Philemon
5 passages cited, from 4 classic reference works.
These works date from 1884–1915 and are in the public domain. They reflect the Protestant scholarship of their time: their history, archaeology and dates can be out of date, and where they interpret, other traditions read the text differently. The verses are shown in the King James Version, the wording these works were written against.
The verses
The passages the works cite, those cited by more of them first.
- Philemon 1:1Easton · Smith · ISBE · Nave Paul's letter to
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
- Colossians 4:9Easton · Smith
With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
- Colossians 4:17Smith · ISBE
And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
- Philemon 1:2Smith · ISBE
And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:
- Philemon 1:5–7ISBE
Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and…
In the reference works
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · 2 references
An inhabitant of Colosse, and apparently a person of some note among the citizens (Col. 4:9; Philemon 1:2). He was brought to a knowledge of the gospel through the instrumentality of Paul (19), and held a prominent place in the Christian community for his piety and beneficence (4-7). He is called in the epistle a “fellow-labourer,” and therefore probably held some office in the church at Colosse; at all events, the title denotes that he took part in the work of spreading a knowledge of the gospel.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884) · 4 references
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915) · 7 references
fi-le'-mon, fi-le'-mun (Philemon): Among the converts of Paul, perhaps while at Ephesus, was one whom he calls a "fellow-worker," Philemon (Phm 1:1). He was probably a man of some means, was celebrated for his hospitality (Phm 1:5-7) and of considerable importance in the ecclesia at Colosse. It was at his house (Phm 1:2) that the Colossian Christians met as a center. It is more than probable that this was a group of the Colossian church rather than the entire ekklesia. His wife was named Apphia (Phm 1:2); and Archippus (Phm 1:2) was no doubt his son. From Col 4:17 we learn that Archippus held an office of some importance in Colosse, whether he was a presbyter (Abbott, ICC), or an evangelist, or perhaps the reader (Zahn), we cannot tell. He is called here (Phm 1:2) Paul's "fellow-soldier."
The relation between the apostle and Philemon was so close and intimate that Paul does not hesitate to press him, on the basis of it, to forgive his slave, Onesimus, for stealing and for running away.
See PHILEMON, EPISTLE TO.
Tradition makes Philemon the bishop of Colosse (Apostolical Constitutions, vii, 46), and the Greek Martyrology (Menae) for November 22 tells us that he together with his wife and son and Onesimus were martyred by stoning before Androcles, the governor, in the days of Nero. With this the Latin Martyrology agrees (compare Lightfoot, Ignatius, II, 535). This evidence, however, is unsatisfactory and cannot be trusted as giving unquestionable facts as to Philemon. The only sure information is that in the epistle bearing his name.
Charles Smith Lewis
In the topical indexes
Nave's Topical Bible (1896) · 1 references, grouped by sub-topic
- → (A Christian man in Colossae)
- → Paul's letter to Phm 1:25
Texts: Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897); Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884); International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915); Nave's Topical Bible (1896), from the CrossWire SWORD modules (public domain). Verse references were parsed from the works' own markup and checked against the KJV verse list.