I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul's phrase "my very heart" wasn't just a metaphor for deep affection; it was a way of saying Onesimus had become so integral to him, that sending him back felt like sending a vital part of himself away. This highlights Paul's incredible capacity for love, seeing Onesimus not just as a runaway slave, but as a beloved "son" in faith, deeply intertwined with his own being.
I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is sending Onesimus, a runaway slave he has come to deeply care for, back to his master, Philemon. This decision is a bold move, as Paul is essentially returning a valuable person to a potentially harsh situation, but he's trusting that Philemon, a fellow believer, will receive him with Christian love. Paul's plea is that Philemon treat Onesimus not just as a slave, but as a beloved brother, "my very heart."
Paul calls Onesimus 'my very heart.' What does this profound statement reveal about their relationship and the power of the Gospel?
Paul's description of Onesimus as 'my very heart' (literally, his 'inward parts' or 'viscera') is incredibly powerful. This wasn't just a casual affection; it was a deep, visceral connection.
A New Family in Christ
Paul saw Onesimus not just as a runaway slave but as a spiritual son, 'begotten' in Christ through his ministry. This new spiritual fatherhood created a bond stronger than any earthly relationship.
Identification and Empathy
To call someone your 'heart' means you feel with them, you identify with their pain and their joy. Paul is essentially saying, 'When you treat Onesimus, you are treating me. His well-being is my well-being.' This isn't just sentimentality; it's a reflection of how the Gospel reorients our deepest affections and loyalties.
How can sending a fugitive slave back to his owner be an act of love? Explore Paul's masterful approach to a sensitive situation.
This verse, combined with the surrounding context, showcases Paul's incredible tact and spiritual wisdom. He's sending Onesimus, a runaway slave, back to Philemon, his master. Yet, he frames this difficult act with profound love and respect.
Respecting Existing Structures
Paul doesn't call for immediate social revolution. Instead, he works within the existing social structures, acknowledging the master-slave relationship. However, he transforms the this relationship is understood and enacted through the lens of Christ.
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The Power of Persuasion Over Force
Paul could have commanded Philemon, given his authority as an apostle. Instead, he 'entreats.' He sends Onesimus back not as a demand, but as a loving gesture, hoping Philemon will receive him not out of obligation, but willingly. This approach highlights that true Christian change comes from transformed hearts, not coercion. The goal is that Philemon's 'benefit' to Onesimus would be 'willingly' given, not forced.
Understand the original words
splagchna · Greek Noun
Literally 'bowels' or 'intestines,' used in biblical literature as the seat of emotions, affection, and compassion; it denotes deep, intimate love or emotional attachment.
The context reveals that Onesimus was a runaway slave who encountered Paul and became a Christian. Paul's decision to send him back, despite his newfound spiritual brotherhood, highlights the complex social realities of the time and the Apostle's radical approach to influencing change from within existing structures.
c. AD 50-55— this verse
Paul Writes the Letter to Philemon
Paul writes this personal letter from prison, likely in Rome or Ephesus, to his friend Philemon, a slave owner.
c. AD 50-55
Onesimus Flees His Master
Onesimus, a slave belonging to Philemon, escapes and travels to Rome, where he encounters the Apostle Paul.
c. AD 50-55
Onesimus's Conversion and Transformation
While with Paul, Onesimus becomes a Christian and is transformed from an 'unprofitable' slave into a valuable brother in Christ.
c. AD 50-55
Paul Sends Onesimus Back to Philemon
Paul, writing this letter, decides to send Onesimus back to his master Philemon, viewing him as 'my very heart.'
This passage uses a similar concept of 'bowels' or deep affection, showing Paul's profound emotional investment in those he cares for, mirroring the depth of his feeling for Onesimus.
Philippians 1:8Paul expresses his deep affection for the Philippian believers by invoking God's testimony of his longing for them 'with the affection of Christ Jesus,' highlighting the intense, Christ-like love he felt and extended to others.
Colossians 3:12Here, Paul calls believers to clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, and humility, reflecting the very 'bowels' of mercy that he demonstrates towards Onesimus, suggesting this is the ideal Christian conduct.
Luke 1:78This passage speaks of the 'tender mercy of our God,' using imagery that aligns with the deep, compassionate 'bowels' Paul feels for Onesimus, linking his personal affection to God's own merciful heart.
1 John 3:17John writes about seeing a brother in need and closing one's 'heart' against him, showing the opposite of Paul's action. This passage underscores how Paul's willingness to send Onesimus back, calling him 'my very heart,' is a profound act of Christian love in contrast to self-concern.
ellicottPhilemon 1:12: "Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:"
(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 (…
meyerPhilemon 1:12: "Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:"
Philemon 1:12 . The rectified text[74] is: ὋΝ ἈΝΈΠΕΜΨΆ ΣΟΙ· ΣῪ ΔῈ ΑὐΤῸΝ, ΤΟΥΤΈΣΤΙ ΤῸ ἘΜᾺ ΣΠΛΆΓΧΝΑ (without ΠΡΟΣΛΑΒΟῦ ). On ἈΝΈΠΕΜΨΑ , remisi , comp. Luke 23:11 . τουτέστι τὰ ἐμὰ σπλάγχνα ] that is, my heart , by which Onesimus is designated as an object of the most cordial affection . So Oecumenius, Theophylact, and many. ἐμὰ has an ingeniously-turned emphasis, in contrast to ΑὐΤΌΝ . According to othe…
Paul's phrase "my very heart" wasn't just a metaphor for deep affection; it was a way of saying Onesimus had become so integral to him, that sending him back felt like sending a vital part of himself away. This highlights Paul's incredible capacity for love, seeing Onesimus not just as a runaway slave, but as a beloved "son" in faith, deeply intertwined with his own being.
Paul is sending Onesimus, a runaway slave he has come to deeply care for, back to his master, Philemon. This decision is a bold move, as Paul is essentially returning a valuable person to a potentially harsh situation, but he's trusting that Philemon, a fellow believer, will receive him with Christian love. Paul's plea is that Philemon treat Onesimus not just as a slave, but as a beloved brother, "my very heart."
Paul is sending Onesimus, a runaway slave he has come to deeply care for, back to his master, Philemon. This decision is a bold move, as Paul is essentially returning a valuable person to a potentially harsh situation, but he's trusting that Philemon, a fellow believer, will receive him with Christian love. Paul's plea is that Philemon treat Onesimus not just as a slave, but as a beloved brother, "my very heart."
"I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart." — Paul's phrase "my very heart" wasn't just a metaphor for deep affection; it was a way of saying Onesimus had become so integral to him, that sending him back felt like sending a vital part of himself…
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Last reviewed October 2026