Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon

Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon

9.9
A short letter in the Christian Bible from Paul asking Philemon to forgive his runaway slave
  • noun
translation icon : Epístola de Pablo a Filemón
  • The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon is a unique letter focusing on forgiveness and reconciliation.

Examples

  • The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon addresses the issue of forgiveness in the context of a runaway slave.

  • She studied the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon for her theology class.

  • Many scholars debate the implications of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon regarding early Christian attitudes toward slavery.

  • The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon is a short letter.

  • Did you read the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon?

  • In her research paper, she analyzed the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon and its themes of mercy.

  • The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon is often cited for its powerful message about compassion and redemption.

Synonyms

Philemon
vsEpistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon
  • Literature
1 9.9

A short New Testament letter from Paul asking forgiveness for a runaway slave

names the runaway slave Onesimus rather than speaking generally
Epistle to Philemon
vsEpistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon
9.9

A short book in the New Testament where Paul asks for forgiveness for a runaway slave

specifies the slave's name Onesimus instead of a general reference

Surface Forms

Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon singular
Epistles of Paul the Apostle to Philemon plural

Morphology

epistle + of + Paul + the + apostle + to + Philemon

The title is compositionally transparent: 'epistle' (a letter) plus the author 'Paul the Apostle' and the recipient 'to Philemon' directly yields the meaning of a New Testament letter from Paul to Philemon. This structure is a literal, standard naming pattern for biblical books and has clear parallels in other languages, so a learner who knows the constituent words can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon is actually a short personal letter from Paul the Apostle to a man called Philemon. In the letter Paul asks Philemon to forgive and welcome back a runaway slave named Onesimus, so the book is seen as a New Testament message about 'forgiveness' and 'reconciliation'.