Philemon

Paul wrote to Philemon and to the church community to which Philemon belonged in order to make an appeal on behalf of Onesimus (vv. 8–10), who had become Paul’s “child” (that is, a believer in Jesus) while Paul was imprisoned (v. 10). Onesimus had formerly been Philemon’s slave, but Paul urges Philemon to receive Onesimus as a “beloved brother” (v. 16).