Philemon 1:10

1:10 I am appealing ¹  to you concerning my child, whose spiritual father I have become ²  during my imprisonment, ³  that is, Onesimus,

Philemon 1:7

1:7 I ⁴  have had great joy and encouragement because ⁵  of your love, for the hearts ⁶  of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

[1:10]  ¹ tn Or “I am encouraging…”

[1:10]  ² tn Grk “my child whom I have begotten.” The adjective “spiritual” has been supplied before “father” in the translation to clarify for the modern reader that Paul did not literally father a child during his imprisonment. Paul’s point is that he was instrumental in Onesimus’ conversion while in prison.

[1:10]  ³ sn During my imprisonment. Apparently Onesimus became a believer under Paul’s shepherding while he [Paul] was a prisoner in Rome.

[1:7]  ⁴ tn Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and contemporary English style.

[1:7]  ⁵ tn The Greek preposition ἐπί (epi) is understood here in a causal sense, i.e., “because.”

[1:7]  ⁶ tn The word translated “hearts” here is σπλάγχνα (splancna). Literally the term refers to one’s “inward parts,” but it is commonly used figuratively for “heart” as the seat of the emotions. See BDAG 938 s.v. σπλάγχνον 2 (cf. Col 3:12, Phil 2:1).