Person · Bible dictionary
Philemon
A Christian slaveholder whose runaway slave Onesimus came to faith through Paul — and recipient of one of the New Testament's shortest, most personal letters.
Philemon was a wealthy believer in Colossae, host of a church that met in his house.
When his runaway slave Onesimus crossed paths with Paul in prison and was converted, Paul sent him back with this letter — appealing for him to be received "no longer as a slave but… as a beloved brother."
The letter is a quiet revolution: the gospel reshapes the deepest social hierarchies, person by person.
Original BibleDawn entry. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.