World English Bible · Under Rome
Philemon
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, a prisoner of Christ , and our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker, to the beloved Apphia, to our fellow soldier, and to in your house: to you and peace from and . I thank my always, making mention of you in my prayers, hearing of your love and of the which you have toward and toward all , that the fellowship of your may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ . For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the of have been refreshed through you, brother. Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate, yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as , the aged, but also a prisoner of . I appeal to you for my child , whom I have become of in my chains, who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me. I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own , whom I to keep with me, that on your behalf he might me in my chains for the . But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will. For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him , no longer as a , but more than a , a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in and in . If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me. But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account. I, , write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides). Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in . Refresh in . Having confidence in your , I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say. Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I that through your prayers I will be restored to you. , my fellow prisoner in Christ , greets you, as do Mark, , , and Luke, my fellow workers. The of our be with your . .
A public domain modern English translation, free to read and share. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.
All of Philemon