TheoMaps

Philemon

Outline of Philemon: Receive him as a brother

From prison Paul asks Philemon in love to receive his slave Onesimus, now a brother in Christ, as he would Paul, charging any debt to Paul.

3 parts6 movements1 chapter7 sections

Part 1 · To a refresher of hearts 1:1–7

Paul greets Philemon and his house church and thanks God for the love and faith that have refreshed the saints.

The church in your house 1:1–3

Paul and Timothy greet Philemon, Apphia, Archippus and the church that meets at his house.

Thanks and prayer 1:4–7

Thanks for Philemon's love and faith; prayer that his fellowship will be effective.

Part 2 · The appeal for Onesimus 1:8–22

Paul appeals in love for Onesimus, now a brother: receive him as you would me, charge his debt to me, and do even more.

  1. 1
    Philemon 1: No longer as a slave, but as a beloved brother

    Paul appeals in love for Onesimus, now a brother in Christ: receive him as you would me, and charge his debt to me.

    The church that meets at your house 1:1–3 · You have refreshed the hearts of the saints 1:4–7 · My child Onesimus 1:8–11 · Better than a slave, as a beloved brother 1:12–16 · Charge it to my account 1:17–20 · Even more than I ask 1:21–22 · My fellow workers 1:23–25

My child Onesimus 1:8–11

An appeal, not an order, for Onesimus, Paul's child in the faith, once useless and now useful.

Better than a slave 1:12–16

Sent back as Paul's very heart; not kept without consent; perhaps parted for a while to come back a brother.

Charge it to my account 1:17–20

Receive him as me; any debt is Paul's; refresh Paul's heart in Christ.

Even more than I ask 1:21–22

Paul trusts Philemon to do more, and asks for a guest room.

Part 3 · Greetings and grace 1:23–25

Greetings from Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Plus What TheoMaps holds for the outline of Philemon

  • The 7 section notes, one for every section of Philemon
  • How each of its 6 movements leads into the next, in its own words
  • The shape of Philemon: 6 repeated words and phrases and 4 literary patterns

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Written and reviewed by AJ Reyes. Reviewed . How we write the notes

Sources for these notes (24)
  • The Reformation Study Bible (ESV), ed. R. C. Sproul
  • Notes on Philemon (2026 ed.), Thomas L. Constable
  • St. Paul's Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, J. B. Lightfoot (1875; Project Gutenberg)
  • Commentary on Philemon, John Calvin (Bible Hub)
  • Concise Commentary on Philemon, Matthew Henry (Bible Hub)
  • Notes on Philemon, Albert Barnes (Bible Hub)
  • ESV Global Study Bible, Introduction to Philemon
  • Philemon, Alistair I. Wilson, TGC Bible Commentary (2023)
  • The Chiastic Structure and Meaning of Paul's Letter to Philemon, John Paul Heil, Biblica 82 (2001)
  • Die retoriese analise van die Brief aan Filemon (Chrysostom), D. F. Tolmie, HTS Teologiese Studies 70.1 (2014)
  • The origin and development of the amicus domini hypothesis in Philemon research, D. Francois Tolmie, LitNet Akademies (2025)
  • Subverting Slavery: Philemon, Onesimus, and Paul's Gospel of Reconciliation, Bernardo Cho, Evangelical Quarterly 86.2 (2014)
  • The Case of the Imprisonment That Did Not Happen: Paul at Ephesus, Ben Witherington III, JETS 60.3 (2017)
  • Was Paul a Jailbird? A Response to the Response, Ben Witherington III, JETS 61.3 (2018)
  • Class 16: Philemon: Reconciliation in the Kingdom, Capitol Hill Baptist Church Core Seminar
  • Theologically Driven episode summary: Ryan Meyer on Paul and slavery, DBTS
  • The Costs and Demands of Love, Ligonier devotional (2011)
  • Ignatius, To the Ephesians 1-2, 6 (New Advent)
  • The Muratorian Fragment (Metzger's translation), Bible Research
  • Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament, Felix Just
  • Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament (NT-ordered page), Julian Spriggs
  • Old Testament Passages in the New Testament, Precept Austin
  • Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, John Gill
  • The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)