Philemon 1:19
I Paul have written it with my own hand: I will repay it: not to say to thee, that thou owest me thy own self also.
Open Philemon 1:19 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Ego Paulus scripsi mea manu : ego reddam, ut non dicam tibi, quod et teipsum mihi debes :
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- ἐγὼ Παῦλος ἔγραψα τῇ ἐμῇ χειρί, ἐγὼ ἀποτίσω· ἵνα μὴ λέγω σοι ὅτι καὶ σεαυτόν μοι προσοφείλεις.
Haydock's commentary
I, Paul, have written, and testified this with my own hand. Some think he wrote the whole letter, with his own hand, to make it more acceptable to Philemon.
Not to say to thee, that thou owest me thy own self, the eternal salvation of thy soul, by thy conversion to the faith of Christ. (Witham)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, Argument
First, it is necessary to state the argument of the Epistle, then also the matters that are questioned respecting it. What then is the argument? Philemon was a man of admirable and noble character. That he was an admirable man is evident from the fact, that his whole household was of believers, and of such believers as even to be called a Church: therefore he says in this Epistle, “And to the Church that is in thy house.” ( v. 2 .) He bears witness also to his great obedience, and that “the bowels of the Saints are refreshed in him.” ( v. 7 .) And he himself in this Epistle commanded him to prepare him a lodging. ( v. 22 .) It seems to me therefore that his house was altogether a lodging for the Saints. This excellent man, then, had a certain slave named Onesimus. This Onesimus, having stolen something from his master, had run away. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, Philemon 1:17-19
Philemon i. 17-19 “If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee at all, or oweth thee aught, put that to mine account; I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: that I say not to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.” No procedure is so apt to gain a hearing, as not to ask for everything at once. For see after how many praises, after how much preparation he hath introduced this great matter. After having said that he is “my son,” that he is a partaker of the Gospel, that he is “my bowels,” that thou receivest him back “as a brother,” and “hold him as a brother,” then he has added “as myself.” And Paul was not ashamed to do this. For he who was not ashamed to be called the servant of the faithful, but confesses that he was such, much more would he not refuse this. But what he says is to this effect. …