Semantic Analysis — Philemon

Book Note on Scope

Philemon has only one chapter (25 verses). The PRD’s “every chapter first to last” mandate is satisfied by treating the whole letter: the core passage (1:8-21) receives full verse-by-verse treatment in Part 1; the remainder of the chapter (1:1-7 and 1:22-25) receives the same term-by-term treatment in Part 2, organized by section rather than by chapter number since none exists beyond chapter 1. This document, together with Romans-baseline reuse, gives complete lexical coverage of the book.

Where a Greek term already carries an established rendering in the baseline translation_memory.json (Romans), that rendering is reused exactly and marked [TM REUSE]. New terms proposed for addition to translation memory are marked [NEW TERM].

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PART 1 — Core Passage Verse-by-Verse: Philemon 1:8-21

Verse 8

Greek: Διὸ πολλὴν παρρησίαν ἔχων ἐπιτάσσειν σοι τὸ ἀνῆκον

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
boldness/confidence παρρησία parrēsia freedom of speech, openness	boldness, confidence, authority to speak plainly ”boldness,” “confidence,” “authority”	Paul has apostolic standing to command, but deliberately sets it aside — foregrounding grace over hierarchy.	[NEW TERM] निर्धक्कता (nirdhakkata). Medium risk: must convey confident standing, not arrogance; sets up the contrast with v.9’s appeal-not-command move.
command/order ἐπιτάσσω epitassō to give orders, command with authority	military/official command ”command,” “order,” “instruct”	The authority Paul explicitly declines to use — critical for the letter’s “appeal not command” argument (Grace-Motivated Obedience doctrine).	[NEW TERM] आज्ञा दिनु (agya dinu). Medium risk: must not be softened to “suggest,” since the point is that Paul could command but chooses not to.
fitting/proper duty ἀνῆκον anēkon what is due, what is proper/fitting	obligation, propriety, what is owed by rank ”what is proper,” “your duty,” “what is fitting”	Deliberately avoided as a category — Paul refuses to frame the request as an obligation Philemon owes him.	[NEW TERM] उचित कुरा (uchit kura), “the proper/fitting thing.” Medium risk: avoid कर्तव्य (duty), which carries dharma-linked overtones of caste/social-role obligation inappropriate here — the whole point of v.8-9 is to move away from duty-based compliance.

Verse 9

Greek: διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην μᾶλλον παρακαλῶ, τοιοῦτος ὢν ὡς Παῦλος πρεσβύτης, νυνὶ δὲ καὶ δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
love ἀγάπη agapē selfless, other-directed love	divine love, covenant love, brotherly love ”love,” “charity”	The ground of Paul’s appeal is love, not rank — anchors Intercession/Appeal doctrine.	[NEW TERM] प्रेम (prem). High risk: must be distinguished from माया (worldly affection/attachment, which in Nepali Buddhist usage carries connotations of तृष्णा/craving to be extinguished) and from भक्ति/श्रद्धा (devotional reverence, already rejected for “faith” in TM). प्रेम is the established Nepali Christian rendering for agapē and should be adopted into TM.
exhort/appeal παρακαλέω parakaleō to call alongside, urge, appeal	entreaty, exhortation, comfort, request ”appeal,” “beg,” “urge,” “exhort”	[TM REUSE] — matches baseline “exhort” entry (उत्साहित पार्नु / बिन्ती गर्नु, context-sensitive). Here the “beseeching” sense applies: बिन्ती गर्नु. This is the letter’s central rhetorical move — appeal grounded in love, not command grounded in authority.	बिन्ती गर्नु (binti garnu). High risk (per TM): must render as heartfelt entreaty, not command.
old man / ambassador πρεσβύτης (v.l. πρεσβευτής) presbytēs / presbeutēs old man / ambassador (textual variant)	elder, aged person / envoy, emissary ”old man,” “ambassador”	Textual uncertainty; either sense (aged apostle or Christ’s ambassador) reinforces Paul’s chosen posture of humility rather than command.	[NEW TERM] वृद्ध (briddha, “old man”) with translator note on the ambassador variant दूत (doot). Low-Medium risk; translator note required flagging the textual variant.
prisoner δέσμιος desmios one bound, a prisoner	literal imprisonment; figurative bondage to Christ ”prisoner,” “captive”	Paul’s imprisonment “for Christ Jesus,” not shameful bondage — voluntary, honorific captivity, distinct in kind from Onesimus’s status as δοῦλος (slave). Must not be conflated with that term.	[NEW TERM] बन्दी (bandi). Medium-High risk: must remain lexically and conceptually distinct from दास (slave, v.16) — Paul’s chosen bondage to Christ is not the same category as Onesimus’s societal bondage; conflating the two would blur the letter’s central status-reversal argument.

Verse 10

Greek: παρακαλῶ σε περὶ τοῦ ἐμοῦ τέκνου, ὃν ἐγέννησα ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς, Ὀνήσιμον

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
child τέκνον teknon child, offspring	literal child; spiritual convert/child in the faith ”child,” “son”	Onesimus as Paul’s spiritual son through conversion — Onesimus’s new identity precedes and reframes his social status.	[NEW TERM] पुत्र (putra, “son,” spiritual sense). Low-Medium risk: clarify metaphorical (spiritual) fatherhood, not literal descent.
beget γεννάω gennaō to father, beget, give birth to	literal begetting; spiritual regeneration ”beget,” “become father to”	Paul describes Onesimus’s conversion under his ministry — spiritual parentage.	[NEW TERM] जन्माउनु (janmaunu). Low risk; standard usage for spiritual metaphor of conversion.
bonds/chains δεσμός desmos chain, fetter, bond	literal imprisonment chains; figurative bondage ”bonds,” “chains,” “imprisonment”	The setting of Onesimus’s conversion — Paul’s imprisonment becomes the site of Onesimus’s new birth, a picture of the gospel’s transforming power operating even within confinement.	[NEW TERM] बन्धन (bandhan) / साङ्लो (sanglo, “chain”). Medium risk: keep distinct from दास (slave) and its associated bonded-labor connotations (see v.16 note); this is Paul’s own imprisonment, not Onesimus’s social bondage.
Onesimus (proper name) Ὀνήσιμος Onēsimos ”useful/profitable one”	proper name with built-in meaning ”Onesimus”	The name itself carries the letter’s central wordplay (see v.11), fulfilled ironically and truly through his conversion.	[NEW TERM] ओनेसिमस (Onesimas), transliteration. Low risk; translator note recommended explaining the name’s meaning (“useful”), since the pun is lost without explanation.

Verse 11

Greek: τὸν ποτε σοι ἄχρηστον νυνὶ δὲ [καὶ] σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ εὔχρηστον

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
useless ἄχρηστος achrēstos unprofitable, useless, unserviceable	practically useless; morally worthless (secondary) “useless,” “unprofitable,” “good for nothing”	Describes Onesimus’s former condition — likely a runaway who caused loss; wordplay against his name’s meaning.	[NEW TERM] अनुपयोगी (anupayogi). Low-Medium risk; translator note required to flag the wordplay with Onesimus’s name, otherwise lost in Nepali.
useful εὔχρηστος euchrēstos very useful, profitable, serviceable	practically valuable; spiritually profitable (secondary) “useful,” “profitable,” “helpful”	The gospel’s transforming power turns Onesimus into what his name always promised — a picture of conversion reshaping social/practical value, undercutting a purely status-based valuation of persons.	[NEW TERM] उपयोगी (upayogi). Low-Medium risk; same wordplay note as above.

Verse 12

Greek: ὃν ἀνέπεμψά σοι, αὐτόν, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν τὰ ἐμὰ σπλάγχνα

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
send back ἀναπέμπω anapempō to send up/back, send to a higher authority	to send back, refer, remand ”sent back,” “am sending”	Paul returns Onesimus voluntarily to face the legal/social consequences of his flight — modeling reconciliation rather than concealment.	[NEW TERM] फिर्ता पठाउनु (phirta pathaunu). Low risk.
inward parts / heart σπλάγχνα splanchna bowels, inward organs (literal); seat of deep emotion, compassion, affection (figurative)	intense compassion; the innermost self; a person one loves as one’s own being ”heart,” “very heart,” “affections,” “bowels” (older versions)	Paul identifies Onesimus so closely with himself that sending him is like sending his own heart — the deepest possible expression of reconciling love; recurs at v.7 (the saints’ hearts refreshed) and v.20 (refresh my heart).	[NEW TERM] हृदय (hriday, “heart”). Medium risk: the literal “bowels” image must not be rendered anatomically; हृदय is the standard figurative equivalent, but translators must preserve the intensity — this is not casual affection but total self-identification with Onesimus, central to the Forgiveness/Reconciliation doctrine. Recommend consistent rendering across all three occurrences (vv.7, 12, 20).

Verse 13

Greek: ὃν ἐγὼ ἐβουλόμην πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν κατέχειν, ἵνα ὑπὲρ σοῦ μοι διακονῇ ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς τοῦ εὐαγγελίου

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
wish/desire βούλομαι boulomai to wish, want, desire (deliberate will)	intentional desire, purpose ”wished,” “wanted,” “desired”	Paul names his own desire but subordinates it to Philemon’s consent (v.14) — modeling voluntary, non-coercive relationship.	[NEW TERM] चाहनु (chahanu). Low risk.
keep/retain κατέχω katechō to hold fast, keep, retain	possession, restraint, custody ”keep,” “retain,” “hold back”	Paul could have kept Onesimus for his own service but chooses not to act unilaterally.	[NEW TERM] राख्नु (rakhnu). Low risk.
serve/minister διακονέω diakoneō to serve, wait on, minister to	domestic service; Christian ministry/service ”serve,” “minister to,” “wait on”	Onesimus’s potential service to Paul “in your place” — service reframed as ministry, not mere bonded labor; relevant to the Slavery/Gospel doctrine’s redefinition of service.	[NEW TERM] सेवा गर्नु (seva garnu). Medium risk: must read as willing gospel ministry, not the coerced obligatory service historically associated with bonded-labor systems in Nepal.
gospel εὐαγγέλιον euangelion good news	the gospel message ”gospel,” “good news”	[TM REUSE] — Paul’s imprisonment is “for the gospel,” reframing his bonds as gospel service, paralleling how Onesimus’s former bondage is reframed by the same gospel.	सुसमाचार (susamachar). High risk per baseline; reused exactly.

Verse 14

Greek: χωρὶς δὲ τῆς σῆς γνώμης οὐδὲν ἤθελον ποιῆσαι, ἵνα μὴ ὡς κατὰ ἀνάγκην τὸ ἀγαθόν σου ᾖ ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἑκούσιον

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
consent/opinion γνώμη gnōmē judgment, opinion, purpose, consent	mind, decision, will ”consent,” “will,” “opinion”	Paul insists Philemon’s own free decision is necessary — grace cannot be imposed.	[NEW TERM] सहमति (sahamati, “consent”). Medium risk: central to the Grace-Motivated Obedience doctrine — the whole letter models persuasion, never coercion.
necessity/compulsion ἀνάγκη anankē necessity, compulsion, constraint	external force, obligation ”necessity,” “compulsion,” “constraint”	What Paul explicitly refuses to impose — the good Philemon does must not be compelled.	[NEW TERM] बाध्यता (badhyata, “compulsion”). High risk: this term stands in direct doctrinal opposition to grace-motivated action; must not be softened, since Paul’s whole rhetorical strategy depends on this contrast being sharp.
good ἀγαθόν agathon good, good deed	moral goodness, a good action, benefit ”good,” “goodness,” “good deed”	Philemon’s act of freeing/restoring Onesimus must arise from goodness freely chosen, not duty performed — directly parallel to Romans’s grace-versus-merit contrast (baseline “grace” doctrine notes).	[NEW TERM] भलाई (bhalai, “goodness/good deed”). Medium risk: keep distinct from पुण्य (accumulated religious merit, already rejected for “grace” in TM); this good deed flows from relationship and grace, not merit-accounting.
voluntary ἑκούσιον hekousion voluntary, of one’s own free will	freely chosen action ”voluntary,” “of your own free will”	The theological center of the letter’s ethic: transformed relationships (including across the slave/free divide) must be freely embraced, modeling the free response grace produces rather than commands.	[NEW TERM] स्वेच्छाले (swecchale, “of one’s own free will”). High risk: this concept is the doctrinal hinge of “Grace-Motivated Obedience” and must be rendered with a term that clearly signals free, uncoerced choice, avoiding any word that could be read as fate, destiny, or externally-assigned duty (parallel to the baseline’s caution around भाग्य/किस्मत for “election”).

Verse 15

Greek: τάχα γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἐχωρίσθη πρὸς ὥραν ἵνα αἰώνιον αὐτὸν ἀπέχῃς

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
separated/departed χωρίζω chōrizō to separate, divide, depart	physical separation; euphemism for Onesimus’s flight ”separated,” “was parted,” “ran away”	A gentle euphemism for what was likely a theft-and-flight; Paul reframes it within God’s providence without excusing the wrong (cf. vv.18-19).	[NEW TERM] छुट्टिनु (chuttinu, “to be separated/parted”). Low-Medium risk.
eternal/forever (here: permanent) αἰώνιος aiōnios age-long, eternal, without end	eschatological “eternal” (life, glory); here a non-eschatological sense of lasting/permanent relationship ”forever,” “eternal,” “permanently”	NOT the eschatological “eternal life” sense; here it describes the permanence of the restored relationship (master-become-brother) that will outlast the temporary separation.	[NEW TERM] सधैंको निम्ति (sadhaiko nimti, “forever/permanently”) rather than अनन्त (anant), which is reserved in established usage for eschatological “eternal life.” Medium risk: translators must not import full eschatological weight here, nor should they weaken it to something trivial — this is about an unbreakable, permanent restored relationship.
possess fully ἀπέχω apechō to have in full, possess completely; also “to be distant”	full possession, receiving in full ”have,” “possess,” “receive back”	Philemon will “have back” Onesimus fully and permanently — no longer partially or provisionally, but as a full brother.	[NEW TERM] पूर्ण रूपले पाउनु (purna rupale paunu). Low-Medium risk.

Verse 16

Greek: οὐκέτι ὡς δοῦλον ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ δοῦλον, ἀδελφὸν ἀγαπητόν

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
slave/bondservant δοῦλος doulos slave, bondservant	legal chattel slave; metaphorical “slave of Christ/sin/righteousness" "slave,” “bondservant,” “servant”	THE CENTRAL DOCTRINAL TERM OF THE BOOK. Paul does not ask Philemon to deny the social/legal category outright but to transcend it relationally — Onesimus returns “no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother.” This is the gospel’s transforming power operating on a real, legally-recognized status.	[NEW TERM — CRITICAL] दास (das). CRITICAL risk, requiring dedicated handling distinct from any Romans precedent. Nepal’s own bonded-labor systems — the Kamaiya agricultural bondage system (formally abolished 2002) and the Kamlari system of bonded child domestic servitude (predominantly affecting Tharu communities, banned only in 2013) — remain within living memory for many Nepali readers, and hereditary caste-linked servitude was itself formally embedded in the Muluki Ain legal code. दास is the established, neutral Nepali biblical term (used throughout for “servant/bondservant,” including of believers as “the Lord’s servant”) and must be retained rather than substituted with a term carrying either (a) the specific, still-raw social memory of कमैया/कमलरी, or (b) the international slave-trade connotations of गुलाम. Translators and reviewers must ensure the passage is not read as either minimizing real, recent bonded-labor suffering or as a simple endorsement of the institution of slavery; the doctrinal point — that the gospel transforms the relationship even where it does not immediately abolish the legal category — requires careful contextual framing, likely with a study note. Human theologian review mandatory for every occurrence.
beloved brother ἀδελφὸς ἀγαπητός adelphos agapētos beloved brother	familial/covenantal kinship term + endearment ”beloved brother,” “dear brother”	The status-reversal climax of the letter: the socially subordinate Onesimus is to be received as family, not property — Christian Brotherhood across Social Status doctrine in its sharpest form.	[NEW TERM — HIGH] प्रिय भाइ (priya bhai). High risk: this phrase directly confronts caste-based and status-based social hierarchy still socially present in Nepal despite legal abolition (the Muluki Ain’s caste code was formally repealed only in 1963, and social caste dynamics persist). The translation must retain full, unqualified familial equality — no softened phrase implying a lesser, honorary, or patron-client form of “brotherhood.”

Verse 17

Greek: εἰ οὖν με ἔχεις κοινωνόν, προσλαβοῦ αὐτὸν ὡς ἐμέ

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
partner κοινωνός koinōnos partaker, partner, sharer	business partner; shared participant; fellow believer ”partner,” “companion,” “sharer”	Related to κοινωνία (fellowship, already Low risk in TM); Paul asks Philemon to extend to Onesimus the same full equality of partnership he extends to Paul himself — reconciliation expressed as equal standing, not mere tolerance.	[NEW TERM] सहभागी (sahabhagi, “partner/participant”), built on the same root as the TM-established सहभागिता (fellowship). Medium-High risk: must convey full, equal partnership, not a lesser or subordinate association.
receive/welcome προσλαμβάνω proslambanō to take to oneself, receive, welcome	hospitality; acceptance into fellowship ”receive,” “welcome,” “accept”	The concrete reconciling act requested: welcome Onesimus exactly as you would welcome Paul — no diminished reception.	[NEW TERM] स्वीकार गर्नु (swikar garnu, “to accept/receive”). High risk: this is the operative verb of the Forgiveness and Reconciliation doctrine; must not be rendered with a term implying conditional, probationary, or lesser welcome.

Verse 18

Greek: εἰ δέ τι ἠδίκησέν σε ἢ ὀφείλει, τοῦτο ἐμοὶ ἐλλόγα

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
wrong/do injustice ἀδικέω adikeō to do wrong, act unjustly	offense, injury, injustice ”wronged,” “done wrong to”	Names the real wrong Onesimus committed — reconciliation in Philemon does not require pretending no wrong occurred.	[NEW TERM] अन्याय गर्नु (anyaya garnu). Medium risk.
owe/be indebted ὀφείλω opheilō to owe, be indebted	financial debt; moral obligation ”owe,” “be indebted,” “be in debt”	The real, possibly financial, debt Onesimus incurred (likely theft or lost labor value) — literalizes forgiveness as debt-cancellation.	[NEW TERM] ऋणी हुनु (rini hunu, “to be indebted”). Medium-High risk: this concrete commercial-legal debt language becomes a living picture of the forgiveness of sin’s “debt,” and must be handled so the analogy is available to readers without over-theologizing the literal transaction.
charge to my account ἐλλογάω ellogaō to charge to one’s account, reckon, put down in a ledger	commercial/legal bookkeeping term ”charge it to me,” “put it on my account”	Paul offers to personally absorb Onesimus’s debt — a striking real-life enactment of substitutionary payment that echoes (without being identical to) the imputation language of Romans (आरोपित धार्मिकता, “imputed righteousness,” already Critical in TM).	[NEW TERM — HIGH] मेरो हिसाबमा लेख (mero hisabma lekh, “charge it to my account”). High risk: while this is an economic metaphor rather than the soteriological doctrine of imputed righteousness itself, the structural parallel (another’s debt credited to a substitute) is theologically significant and should be flagged for the Forgiveness/Reconciliation and Intercession doctrines; translators must not accidentally import the technical soteriological phrase आरोपित धार्मिकता here, since this is Paul’s personal financial offer, not a statement about the atonement itself — but the resonance should be preserved for teaching purposes via study notes, not blurred within the text.

Verse 19

Greek: ἐγὼ ἀποτίσω· ἵνα μὴ λέγω σοι ὅτι καὶ σεαυτὸν μοι προσοφείλεις

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
repay in full ἀποτίνω apotinō to pay back, repay, pay a penalty	full financial repayment ”I will repay,” “I will pay it back”	Paul commits personally and concretely to repay whatever Onesimus owes — intercession made costly and specific, not merely rhetorical.	[NEW TERM] म तिरिदिनेछु (ma tiridinechhu, “I will repay”). Medium risk.
owe in addition προσοφείλω prosopheilō to owe besides, owe in addition	additional debt ”owe besides,” “owe me”	Paul reminds Philemon that he owes Paul his own spiritual life (implying Philemon’s own conversion under Paul’s ministry) — turning the debt argument back reciprocally, reinforcing that all standing before God is received, not earned.	[NEW TERM] थप ऋणी हुनु (thap rini hunu, “to owe in addition”). Medium risk.

Verse 20

Greek: ναὶ ἀδελφέ, ἐγώ σου ὀναίμην ἐν κυρίῳ· ἀνάπαυσόν μου τὰ σπλάγχνα ἐν Χριστῷ

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
have joy/benefit ὀνίναμαι oninamai to have joy of, benefit from, profit from	benefit, profit, gladness gained from someone ”may I have joy of you,” “may I benefit from you”	A final, deliberate wordplay on Onesimus’s own name (“useful/profitable one”) — Paul asks to be “profited” by Philemon exactly as Onesimus’s name promises to profit others; the whole letter’s wordplay resolves here.	[NEW TERM] लाभ पाउनु (labh paunu, “to gain benefit/joy”). Low-Medium risk; translator note required flagging the wordplay with Onesimus’s name (v.11 note applies again).
refresh/give rest ἀναπαύω anapauō to give rest, refresh, relieve	physical rest; emotional/spiritual relief ”refresh,” “give rest to,” “relieve”	Echoes v.7 (the saints’ hearts refreshed by Philemon) — Paul now asks for that same refreshing, tying the letter’s opening praise to its climactic request.	[NEW TERM] विश्राम दिनु (bishram dinu, “to give rest/refresh”). Medium risk: keep distinct from शान्ति (peace, TM-established), which conveys a different, more static relational-peace concept; this term is active and relational — “put my heart at rest by this action.”
inward parts / heart σπλάγχνα splanchna see v.12	see v.12 ”heart”	Same term as vv.7, 12 — reused for consistency.	हृदय (hriday). Medium risk; consistent rendering required across all three occurrences per note at v.12.

Verse 21

Greek: πεποιθὼς τῇ ὑπακοῇ σου ἔγραψά σοι, εἰδὼς ὅτι καὶ ὑπὲρ ἃ λέγω ποιήσεις

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
confidence/trust πείθω (perfect ptc. πεποιθώς) peithō to persuade; (perfect) to be confident, trust	persuasion; settled confidence/trust ”confident,” “trusting,” “persuaded”	Paul’s confidence rests not in his own authority but in Philemon’s character, formed by grace — a relational, not coerced, confidence.	[NEW TERM] विश्वास राखी (bishwas rakhi, “having confidence/trust”). Medium-High risk: built on the same root as विश्वास (faith, Critical/High in TM); translators must ensure this general relational confidence is not confused with the doctrinal, saving “faith in Christ” sense of विश्वास — context must make clear this is confidence in Philemon’s character, not a statement of soteriological faith.
obedience ὑπακοή hypakoē obedience, compliance	obedience to authority; obedience flowing from faith (cf. Romans “obedience of faith”) “obedience,” “compliance”	[TM REUSE — root term] The same root as the baseline’s “obedience_of_faith” (विश्वासको आज्ञाकारिता, High risk). Here used of Philemon’s obedience to Paul’s appeal specifically — obedience that flows from love and grace, not compelled duty, directly enacting the “Grace-Motivated Obedience” doctrine named in this curriculum.	आज्ञाकारिता (agyakarita). High risk per baseline root term; must be read here as obedience motivated by love/grace (v.9, v.14’s ἑκούσιον), not law-like compulsion.

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PART 2 — Whole-Book Coverage: Remainder of Chapter 1

Chapter 1, vv.1-7 — Salutation and Thanksgiving

Greek (selected): Παῦλος δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφός, Φιλήμονι τῷ ἀγαπητῷ καὶ συνεργῷ ἡμῶν… χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ μου… ἀκούων σου τὴν ἀγάπην καὶ τὴν πίστιν… ὅπως ἡ κοινωνία τῆς πίστεώς σου ἐνεργὴς γένηται… χαρὰν γὰρ πολλὴν ἔσχον καὶ παράκλησιν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀγάπῃ σου, ὅτι τὰ σπλάγχνα τῶν ἁγίων ἀναπέπαυται διὰ σοῦ, ἀδελφέ.

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
prisoner (of Christ Jesus) δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ desmios Christou Iēsou bound one of Christ Jesus	self-designation of honor, not shame ”prisoner of Christ Jesus”	Paul’s chosen self-identification frames the entire letter — see v.9 note; his captivity is to Christ, distinct from Onesimus’s social bondage.	बन्दी (as at v.9). Medium-High risk; see v.9 entry.
brother ἀδελφός adelphos brother	biological brother; fellow believer ”brother”	Timothy called “the brother,” Philemon addressed as “beloved,” Apphia as “sister” (ἀδελφή) — establishing the family language that will climax in v.16’s demand that Onesimus be received as ἀδελφός too. Central to the Christian Brotherhood across Social Status doctrine.	[NEW TERM] भाइ (bhai, “brother”) / बहिनी (bahini, “sister,” for Apphia). High risk: this everyday kinship term becomes doctrinally loaded once applied to Onesimus (v.16); consistent use across the letter is essential so the reader recognizes the deliberate escalation.
beloved ἀγαπητός agapētos dear, beloved	term of affection/esteem ”beloved,” “dear”	Applied to Philemon here, later applied to Onesimus (v.16) — deliberately placing slave and free master under the identical term of endearment.	[NEW TERM] प्रिय (priya). Medium-High risk: consistent rendering required so the reader notices the term is later applied equally to Onesimus.
fellow worker συνεργός synergos co-worker, fellow laborer	ministry partnership ”fellow worker,” “co-laborer”	Philemon, and later Mark/Aristarchus/Demas/Luke (v.24), described as Paul’s partners in gospel labor.	[NEW TERM] सहकर्मी (sahakarmi). Low risk.
fellow soldier συστρατιώτης systratiōtēs fellow soldier	shared spiritual struggle/service ”fellow soldier”	Archippus described in militant-service imagery — spiritual labor as costly struggle.	[NEW TERM] सहसिपाही (sahasipahi). Low risk.
house church κατ᾽ οἶκόν… ἐκκλησία kat’ oikon… ekklēsia the church according to [your] house	a congregation meeting in a private home ”the church in your house,” “house church”	[TM REUSE for ἐκκλησία] — Philemon’s household hosts a congregation; the letter, though private, is addressed publicly to the whole gathered church, meaning the resolution of Onesimus’s case would be witnessed by the whole local body.	मण्डली (mandali, TM-established) + तिम्रो घरको (of your house). Medium risk (per baseline “church” entry); note the household setting adds accountability/communal weight to Paul’s appeal.
grace / peace χάρις / εἰρήνη charis / eirēnē see baseline	see baseline ”grace / peace”	[TM REUSE] Standard Pauline greeting-pair.	अनुग्रह / शान्ति (TM-established, High/Medium risk respectively).
God / Father / Lord θεός / πατήρ / κύριος theos / patēr / kyrios see baseline	see baseline ”God / Father / Lord”	[TM REUSE]	परमेश्वर / पिता / प्रभु (TM-established, all Critical/High risk).
thanksgiving εὐχαριστέω eucharisteō to give thanks	see baseline ”I thank”	[TM REUSE]	धन्यवाद (TM-established, Low risk).
remembrance μνεία mneia remembrance, mention	mention in prayer ”remembrance,” “mention”	[NEW TERM] Low-doctrinal-risk term describing Paul’s prayer habit.	सम्झना (samjhana). Low risk.
prayer προσευχή proseuchē prayer	act/context of prayer ”prayers,” “my prayers”	[NEW TERM]	प्रार्थना (prarthana). Low risk; standard term.
love / faith ἀγάπη / πίστις agapē / pistis see above / see baseline	see above / see baseline ”love / faith”	[TM REUSE for πίστις]; ἀγάπη is new (see v.9 entry above).	प्रेम (new) / विश्वास (TM-established, High risk).
saints ἅγιοι hagioi see baseline	see baseline ”saints,” “God’s holy people”	[TM REUSE] Philemon’s love and faith are commended specifically as they touch “all the saints” — the ordinary, corporate body of believers, not an ascetic elite.	पवित्र जन (TM-established, High risk).
fellowship (of faith) κοινωνία (τῆς πίστεως) koinōnia (tēs pisteōs) shared participation of the faith	practical outworking of shared faith in generous action ”fellowship of your faith,” “partnership springing from your faith”	[TM REUSE] Here κοινωνία describes Philemon’s faith becoming practically effective (ἐνεργής) — Paul’s prayer that this same generous partnership will now extend concretely to Onesimus.	सहभागिता (TM-established, Low risk).
effective/active ἐνεργής energēs active, effective, powerful in operation	efficacious, productive ”effective,” “active,” “working”	[NEW TERM] Faith that produces visible action — directly anticipates the concrete request of vv.17-21.	प्रभावकारी (prabhavkari). Low-Medium risk.
full knowledge ἐπίγνωσις epignōsis full/exact knowledge	deepened, experiential knowledge ”knowledge,” “full knowledge,” “understanding”	[NEW TERM]	पूर्ण ज्ञान (purna gyan). Low risk.
good ἀγαθόν agathon see v.14 above	see v.14 ”good,” “goodness”	[NEW TERM — reused term, see v.14]	भलाई (as at v.14). Medium risk; see v.14 note.
joy χαρά chara joy, gladness	emotional joy; spiritual gladness ”joy,” “great joy”	[NEW TERM]	आनन्द (anand). Low risk.
comfort/encouragement παράκλησις paraklēsis calling alongside; comfort, encouragement, exhortation	comfort; exhortation; encouragement ”comfort,” “encouragement”	[NEW TERM — noun form of the TM “exhort” root]	उत्साह (utsah), built on the TM root उत्साहित पार्नु. Low-Medium risk.
inward parts/heart σπλάγχνα splanchna see v.12	see v.12 ”hearts” (of the saints)	Philemon’s past hospitality has already “refreshed the hearts of the saints” — establishing the pattern Paul now asks him to extend to Onesimus specifically.	हृदय (as at v.12). Medium risk; see v.12 note on consistency.
refresh/give rest ἀναπαύω (perfect ἀναπέπαυται) anapauō see v.20	see v.20 ”has been refreshed”	[NEW TERM — reused, see v.20]	विश्राम दिनु (as at v.20). Medium risk.

Chapter 1, vv.8-21 — Core Passage

Covered exhaustively, verse-by-verse, in Part 1 above. No additional coverage needed.

Chapter 1, vv.22-25 — Closing and Benediction

Greek: ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἑτοίμαζέ μοι ξενίαν· ἐλπίζω γὰρ ὅτι διὰ τῶν προσευχῶν ὑμῶν χαρισθήσομαι ὑμῖν. Ἀσπάζεταί σε Ἐπαφρᾶς ὁ συναιχμάλωτός μου ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, Μᾶρκος, Ἀρίσταρχος, Δημᾶς, Λουκᾶς, οἱ συνεργοί μου. Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν.

Terms	Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Nepali Rendering & Risk
guest room / hospitality ξενία xenia hospitality, a place of lodging	guest room, hospitable reception ”guest room,” “lodging,” “hospitality”	Paul’s confident expectation of a future visit — the appeal for Onesimus is backed by ongoing accountable relationship, not a one-time letter with no follow-through.	[NEW TERM] बासस्थान (basasthan, “lodging/guest room”). Low risk.
hope ἐλπίζω elpizō to hope, expect	confident expectation ”I hope,” “I trust,” “I expect”	[NEW TERM]	आशा गर्नु (asha garnu). Low risk.
grant graciously χαρίζομαι charizomai to give freely, grant as a favor, forgive	gracious granting; forgiveness ”granted,” “given back to you,” “restored”	Built on the same root as χάρις (grace) — Paul frames his own hoped-for release/return as itself an act of grace, echoing the letter’s whole grace-motivated logic.	[NEW TERM] फर्काई पाउनु (pharkai paunu, “to be graciously restored/given back”). Medium risk: preserve the visible link to अनुग्रह (grace, TM-established High risk) where possible in teaching notes, since the wordplay reinforces the letter’s central theme.
fellow prisoner/captive συναιχμάλωτος synaichmalōtos fellow captive, fellow prisoner-of-war	shared captivity ”fellow prisoner,” “fellow captive”	Epaphras shares Paul’s imprisoned status “in Christ Jesus” — another honorific, voluntary captivity distinct from δοῦλος.	[NEW TERM] सह-बन्दी (saha-bandi). Low-Medium risk; consistent with बन्दी distinction noted at v.9/v.1.
fellow worker συνεργός synergos see vv.1-7	see vv.1-7 ”fellow workers”	[NEW TERM — reused, see vv.1-7]	सहकर्मी (as above). Low risk.
grace χάρις charis see baseline	see baseline ”grace”	[TM REUSE] Closing benediction, paralleling the opening greeting (v.3) — the letter is framed by grace on both ends.	अनुग्रह (TM-established, High risk).
Lord κύριος kyrios see baseline	see baseline ”Lord”	[TM REUSE]	प्रभु (TM-established, Critical risk).
spirit (your spirit, not the Holy Spirit) πνεῦμα pneuma breath, spirit, inner disposition	Holy Spirit (capitalized doctrinal sense); the human spirit/inner person (this verse) “spirit,” “your spirit”	CAUTION: This is the collective “your (plural) spirit,” i.e., the inner person of the gathered church, NOT a reference to the Holy Spirit. Must not be rendered with पवित्र आत्मा (reserved exclusively for the third Person of the Trinity per baseline).	[NEW TERM] आत्मा (atma, lower-case sense, “spirit/inner being”). Medium risk: translators and reviewers must confirm this is NOT rendered as पवित्र आत्मा; a translator note is recommended to prevent confusion with the Trinitarian term.

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Proper Names (Established Transliteration Forms)

English	Greek	Transliteration	Nepali Form
Paul	Παῦλος	Paulos	पावल
Timothy	Τιμόθεος	Timotheos	तिमोथी
Philemon	Φιλήμων	Philēmōn	फिलेमोन
Apphia	Ἀπφία	Apphia	अप्फिया
Archippus	Ἄρχιππος	Archippos	अर्खिप्पस
Onesimus	Ὀνήσιμος	Onēsimos	ओनेसिमस
Epaphras	Ἐπαφρᾶς	Epaphras	एपाफ्रास
Mark	Μᾶρκος	Markos	मार्कस
Aristarchus	Ἀρίσταρχος	Aristarchos	अरिस्तार्खस
Demas	Δημᾶς	Dēmas	देमास
Luke	Λουκᾶς	Loukas	लूका
Christ Jesus	Χριστός Ἰησοῦς	Christos Iēsous	ख्रीष्ट येशू

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Summary: Full-Book Coverage Confirmation

Philemon 1:1-25 has been fully analyzed:

• vv.1-7 — salutation, thanksgiving: 20 load-bearing terms identified, several new (ἀγάπη, συνεργός, συστρατιώτης, ἐνεργής, ἐπίγνωσις, χαρά, παράκλησις), several reused from the Romans baseline (χάρις, εἰρήνη, θεός, πατήρ, κύριος, εὐχαριστέω, πίστις, ἅγιοι, κοινωνία).
• vv.8-21 (core passage) — treated exhaustively verse-by-verse; contains the book’s single Critical-risk term (δοῦλος/slave) and several High-risk terms (ἐλλογάω, ἀνάγκη, ἑκούσιον, ὀφείλω, προσλαμβάνω, κοινωνός, ὑπακοή, ἀδελφὸς ἀγαπητός).
• vv.22-25 — closing greetings and benediction: new terms (ξενία, χαρίζομαι, συναιχμάλωτος), reused terms (χάρις, κύριος), and one important caution term (πνεῦμα, non-Trinitarian sense here).

No chapter or section of Philemon has been omitted. The book’s single chapter is covered in its entirety.