Philemon 1:13

“Whom I would have retained with me, &c.] At Rome, where the apostle was a prisoner: that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the Gospel; the apostle was in bonds, not for any crime, for any immorality he had been guilty of, but for the sake of the Gospel, for professing and preaching that; for this he was an ambassador in bonds, as he elsewhere says, (<490620>Ephesians 6:20). Now he would have kept Onesimus with him, either to have waited upon him, in his bonds, and to have provided for him the necessaries of life; or to have assisted him in the ministration of the word, in the room of Philemon, who, had he been there, would have been employed in such service; so…”

“I--emphatical. I for my part. Since I had such implicit trust in him as to desire to keep him with me for his services, thou mayest. I would have retained--different Greek from the "would," Plm 1:14, "I could have wished," "I was minded" here; but "I was not willing," Plm 1:14. in thy stead--that he might supply in your place all the services to me which you, if you were here, would render in virtue of the love you bear to me (Plm 1:19). bonds of the gospel--my bonds endured for the Gospel's sake (Plm 1:9).”

“Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead - “That he might render me the service which I know you would if you were here.” The Greek is: “for thee” ὑπὲρ σοῦ huper sou; that is, what he should do for Paul might be regarded as done by Philemon himself. He might have ministered unto me - He might have rendered me assistance (διακονῇ diakonē); to wit, in such a way as one who was in bonds would need. return to 'Top of Page'”

“To serve me in thy stead - To do those services for me which thou, if present, wouldest gladly have done thyself. Philemon 1:14”

“1:13-14 Paul hints at his desire that Philemon choose to free Onesimus to serve as Paul’s helper (also 1:21). The Christian life is a free response to God’s grace (Rom 12:1; Eph 4:1; Col 3:12-13).”

“in thy stead: Co1 16:17; Phi 2:30 the bonds: Plm 1:1; Eph 3:1, Eph 4:1 Philemon 1:14”