Philemon 1:12
New International Version
I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you.

New Living Translation
I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.

English Standard Version
I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.

Berean Standard Bible
I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.

Berean Literal Bible
whom I have sent back to you in person--he who is my very heart--

King James Bible
Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:

New King James Version
I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

New American Standard Bible
I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart,

NASB 1995
I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart,

NASB 1977
And I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart,

Legacy Standard Bible
I have sent him back to you in person, that is, my very heart,

Amplified Bible
I have sent him back to you in person, that is, like sending my very heart.

Christian Standard Bible
I am sending him back to you—I am sending my very own heart.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I am sending him back to you as a part of myself.

American Standard Version
whom I have sent back to thee in his own person, that is, my very heart:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And I sent him to you, so receive him as my son.

Contemporary English Version
Sending Onesimus back to you makes me very sad.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Whom I have sent back to thee. And do thou receive him as my own bowels.

English Revised Version
whom I have sent back to thee in his own person, that is, my very heart:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I am sending him back to you. This is like sending you a part of myself.

Good News Translation
I am sending him back to you now, and with him goes my heart.

International Standard Version
As I send him back, it's like I'm coming along with him.

Literal Standard Version
whom I sent again to you—he who is my own heart,

Majority Standard Bible
I am (him) sending back for you to receive him who is my very heart.

New American Bible
I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.

NET Bible
I have sent him (who is my very heart) back to you.

New Revised Standard Version
I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.

New Heart English Bible
I am sending back to you, him who is my very heart,

Webster's Bible Translation
Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, my own bowels:

Weymouth New Testament
I am sending him back to you, though in so doing I send part of myself.

World English Bible
I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

Young's Literal Translation
whom I did send again, and thou him (that is, my own bowels) receive,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Appeal for Onesimus
11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. 12 I am sending back to you him who is my very heart. 13I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.…

Cross References
Philemon 1:11
Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

Philemon 1:13
I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.


Treasury of Scripture

Whom I have sent again: you therefore receive him, that is, my own bowels:

thou.

Matthew 6:14,15
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: …

Matthew 18:21-35
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? …

Mark 11:25
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

mine.

Deuteronomy 13:6
If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;

2 Samuel 16:11
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.

Jeremiah 31:20
Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.

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Philemon 1
1. Paul rejoices to hear of the faith and love of Philemon,
8. whom he desires to forgive his servant Onesimus, and lovingly to receive him again.














(12) Thou therefore receive him.--The word "receive" is not in the best MSS. It is supplied here from Philemon 1:17 (apparently rightly in respect of sense) to fill up a broken construction in the original.

Mine own bowels--i.e., my own heart, dear to me as my own soul. There is, indeed, an usage of the word which applies it to children as begotten of our own body. But this is hardly St. Paul's usage (see 2Corinthians 6:12; Philippians 1:8; Philippians 2:1; Colossians 3:12; and Philemon 1:7; Philemon 1:20 of this Epistle), though it suits very well with the phrase "whom I have begotten" above. . . .

Verse 12. - Whom I sent back [to thee, according to A, C, D*, E, אָ] (aorist for present); but the decision reflects the struggle. It had not been altogether easy for the apostle to part with the youth, whom he might not see again. The whole Epistle is full of this strong and yearning affection. Thou therefore receive him. Do thou also act as becomes a Christian; receive him as my son. "Wonderfully efficacious this method for appeasing the anger of Philemon! For he was not able to rage or to do anything harshly against one whom Paul had called his own bowels" (Estius). A, F, G, and א omit "receive," as also Tischendorf. The Revised Version omits this clause.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
I am sending back
ἀνέπεμψά (anepempsa)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 375: To send up (to a higher tribunal), send back. From ana and pempo; to send up or back.

to you
σοι (soi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

him
αὐτόν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

who
τοῦτ’ (tout’)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

is
ἔστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

my
ἐμὰ (ema)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Neuter 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1699: My, mine. From the oblique cases of ego; my.

very heart.
σπλάγχνα (splanchna)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 4698: Probably strengthened from splen; an intestine; figuratively, pity or sympathy.


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NT Letters: Philemon 1:12 I am sending him back (Phm Phl)
Philemon 1:11
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