1:1 From Paul, 1 a prisoner of Christ Jesus, 2 and Timothy our 3 brother, to Philemon, our dear friend 4 and colaborer, 1:2 to Apphia 5 our sister, 6 to Archippus our 7 fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your house.
2:25 But for now 13 I have considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. For he is my brother, 14 coworker and fellow soldier, and your messenger 15 and minister 16 to me in my need. 17
1 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
2 sn The phrase a prisoner of Christ Jesus implies that Paul was being held prisoner because of his testimony for Christ Jesus. Paul’s imprisonment was due to his service to Christ, in the same manner as John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos because of his testimony (Rev 1:9).
3 tn “our” is not present in the Greek text, but was supplied to bring out the sense in English.
4 tn Grk “dear.” The adjective is functioning as a substantive; i.e., “dear one” or “dear friend.”
5 sn Apphia is thought to be the wife of Philemon.
6 tc Most witnesses (D2 Ψ Ï) here read τῇ ἀγαπητῇ (th agaphth, “beloved, dear”), a reading that appears to have been motivated by the masculine form of the same adjective in v. 1. Further, the earliest and best witnesses, along with a few others (א A D* F G I P 048 0278 33 81 104 1739 1881 pc), have ἀδελφῇ (adelfh, “sister”). Thus on internal and external grounds, ἀδελφῇ is the strongly preferred reading.
7 tn Though the term “our” does not appear in the Greek text it is inserted to bring out the sense of the passage.
8 sn Apphia is thought to be the wife of Philemon.
9 tc Most witnesses (D2 Ψ Ï) here read τῇ ἀγαπητῇ (th agaphth, “beloved, dear”), a reading that appears to have been motivated by the masculine form of the same adjective in v. 1. Further, the earliest and best witnesses, along with a few others (א A D* F G I P 048 0278 33 81 104 1739 1881 pc), have ἀδελφῇ (adelfh, “sister”). Thus on internal and external grounds, ἀδελφῇ is the strongly preferred reading.
10 tn Though the term “our” does not appear in the Greek text it is inserted to bring out the sense of the passage.
11 tn BDAG 276 s.v. ἑδραῖος suggests “firm, steadfast.”
12 tn BDAG 639 s.v. μετακινέω suggests “without shifting from the hope” here.
13 tn Grk “But.” The temporal notion (“for now”) is implied in the epistolary aorist (“I have considered”), for Epaphroditus was dispatched with this letter to the Philippians.
14 tn Grk “my brother” instead of “For he is my brother.” Verse 25 constitutes one sentence in Greek, with “my brother…” functioning appositionally to “Epaphroditus.”
15 tn Grk “apostle.”
16 tn The Greek word translated “minister” here is λειτουργός (leitourgo").
17 tn Grk “servant of my need.”
18 tn Or “faithful fellow worker.” This is more likely a descriptive noun, although some scholars interpret the word σύζυγος (suzugos) here as a proper name (“Syzygos”), L&N 42.45.
19 tn Grk “in the gospel,” a metonymy in which the gospel itself is substituted for the ministry of making the gospel known.
20 tn Or “faithful fellow worker.” This is more likely a descriptive noun, although some scholars interpret the word σύζυγος (suzugos) here as a proper name (“Syzygos”), L&N 42.45.
21 tn Grk “in the gospel,” a metonymy in which the gospel itself is substituted for the ministry of making the gospel known.