For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

yet for love's sake I rather appeal to yousince I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus

10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment.

I would have been glad to keep him with me, so that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel;

but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.

Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, that you might have him back for ever,

At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope through your prayers to be granted to you.