Philemon 1:23

“There salute thee Epaphras, &c.] Who was a Colossian, and minister of the church at Colosse, and so might be well known to Philemon, who seems to have been of the same place and church; (see <510107> Colossians 1:7 <510412>4:12,13) his name is omitted in the Ethiopic version: my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus; this good man, and minister of Christ, might have been sent by the Colossians, as Epaphroditus was by the Philippians, to the apostle at Rome, to pay him a visit, and comfort and assist him under his afflictions; and staying and preaching the Gospel there, was committed to prison, or was laid in bonds, as the apostle was, and upon the same account; namely, for the sake of Christ, and…”

“The same persons send salutations in the accompanying Epistle, except that "Jesus Justus" is not mentioned here. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner--He had been sent by the Colossian Church to inquire after, and minister to, Paul, and possibly was cast into prison by the Roman authorities on suspicion. However, he is not mentioned as a prisoner in Col 4:12, so that "fellow prisoner" here may mean merely one who was a faithful companion to Paul in his imprisonment, and by his society put himself in the position of a prisoner. So also "Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner," Col 4:10, may mean. Benson conjectures the meaning to be that on some former occasion these two were Paul's "fellow prisoners," not…”

“There salute thee Epaphras - The same persons who are here mentioned as greeting Philemon, are mentioned in the close of the Epistle to the Colossians - furnishing a high degree of evidence that Philemon resided at Colosse. Epaphras was a member of the church there; the notes at Colossians 4:12. My fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus - In the cause of Christ; Notes, Philemon 1:1. The circumstance of his being a prisoner is not mentioned in the parallel place in the Epistle to the Colossians, but nothing is more probable. return to 'Top of Page'”

“1:23-25 Paul usually closes his letters with greetings from others and a benediction. Cp. Col 4:7-18; Paul’s letters to the Colossians and to Philemon were probably carried to Colosse at the same time by Tychicus and Onesimus. 1:23 Epaphras was a native of Colosse who first brought the Good News to Philemon and his family (Col 1:7; 4:12).”

“Epaphras: Col 1:7, Col 4:12 my fellowprisoner: Rom 16:7; Col 4:10 Philemon 1:24”