Philemon 1 · Verse 11

Philemon 1:11

Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

Philemon 1:11, King James Version

Philemon 1:11 in other translations

BSB	Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
WEB	who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.
ASV	who once was unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable to thee and to me:
YLT	who once was to thee unprofitable, and now is profitable to me and to thee,
DARBY	once unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee and to me:
BBE	Who in the past was of no profit to you, but now is of profit to you and to me:
Webster	Who in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

What does Philemon 1:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

11. Which ... was ... unprofitable--belying his name Onesimus, which means "profitable." Not only was he "unprofitable," but positively injurious, having "wronged" his master. Paul uses a mild expression. now profitable--Without godliness a man has no station. Profitable in spiritual, as well as in temporal things.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 11. Which in time past was to thee unprofitable. Either because he was indolent; because he had wronged him, (comp. Phm 1:18;) or because he had run away from him. It is possible that there may be an allusion here to the meaning of the name Onesimus, which denotes profitable, (from ονινημι, fut. ονησω, to be useful, to be profitable, to help;) and that Paul means to say that he had hitherto not well answered to the meaning of his own name, but that now he would be found to do so.

But now profitable to thee. The Greek here is ευχρηστον, euchreston, but the meaning is about the same as that of the word Onesimus. It denotes very useful. In 2Ti 2:21, it is rendered, meet for use; in 2Ti 4:11, and here, profitable. It does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament.

And to me. Paul had doubtless found him useful to him as a Christian brother in his bonds, and it is easy to conceive that, in his circumstances, he would greatly desire to retain him with him.

(a) "in time past" 1Pet 2:10

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 11 Was to thee unprofitable - Alluding to the meaning of Onesimus's name, as has been already noted; though the apostle uses a different Greek word to express the same idea.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Philemon 1:8-14

It does not lower any one to condescend, and sometimes even to beseech, where, in strictness of right, we might command: the apostle argues from love, rather than authority, in behalf of one converted through his means; and this was Onesimus. In allusion to that name, which signifies "profitable," the apostle allows that in time past he had been unprofitable to Philemon, but hastens to mention the change by which he…

Read the full comment on Philemon 1:8-14 →

Philemon 1:11 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

τόνton<the>G3588

ποτέpoteonceG4218

σοιsoito youG4771

ἄχρηστονachrēstonuselessG890

νυνὶnuninowG3570

δὲdehoweverG1161

σοὶsoito youG4771

καὶkaiandG2532

ἐμοὶemoito me myselfG1473

εὔχρηστον,euchrēstonuseful,G2173

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Philemon 1:11

2 Timothy 4:11
Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
Job 30:1-2
But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock. Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?
1 Peter 2:10
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Luke 15:32
It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Romans 3:12
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Matthew 25:30
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Luke 17:10
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
Luke 15:24
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

unprofitable.
Job 30:1,2; Mt 25:30; Lu 17:10; Ro 3:12; 1Pe 2:10
profitable.
Lu 15:24,32; 2Ti 4:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Philemon 1:10
I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
Philemon 1:11
Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:
Philemon 1:12
Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:

Read all of Philemon 1

Philemon 1:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	El cual en otro tiempo te fué inútil, mas ahora á ti y á mí es útil;
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	qui t’a été autrefois inutile, mais qui maintenant est utile à toi et à moi,
German Elberfelder 1871	der dir einst unnütz war, jetzt aber dir und mir nützlich ist,
Latin Clementine Vulgate	qui tibi aliquando inutilis fuit, nunc autem et mihi et tibi utilis,