Semantic Analysis
07 Semantic Analysis — Philemon (English → Vietnamese)
Scope and Method
Philemon is a single-chapter, 25-verse personal letter. Per the PRD full-book-coverage mandate, this analysis covers every verse of the entire letter, not merely the core passage. Because the book has only one chapter, coverage is organized as follows:
- Core Passage Verse-by-Verse Analysis — Philemon 1:8-21 (the theological anchor of the curriculum: Paul’s appeal for Onesimus).
- Whole-Book Chapter Study — Chapter 1 (Philemon 1:1-25), divided into three sections so that every verse outside the core passage (the salutation/thanksgiving, 1:1-7, and the closing greetings, 1:22-25) receives the same term-level treatment. Section B of this chapter study cross-references the core-passage analysis rather than repeating it.
Every load-bearing term is presented with: original Koine Greek word, transliteration, literal meaning, semantic range, common English variants, contextual theological meaning in Philemon, and the destination-language (Vietnamese) rendering with its risk tier. Where a term is already fixed in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json, that exact rendering is reused and marked [BASELINE]; no substitutions are proposed for baseline terms.
Book Overview
Philemon is Paul’s personal letter, written from prison (likely alongside Colossians and Ephesians), to Philemon, a slave-owning believer and house-church host in or near Colossae, concerning Onesimus, Philemon’s slave who had left him (whether by flight or lesser offense is debated) and subsequently been converted under Paul’s ministry. Paul sends Onesimus back with this letter, appealing — not commanding — that Philemon receive him no longer as a slave but as a beloved brother, and offering to personally cover any debt or wrong Onesimus caused. The letter is theologically dense in a small compass: it enacts forgiveness, reconciliation, intercession, grace-motivated (not compelled) obedience, and the gospel’s transformation of a master-slave relationship into brotherhood — all doctrines named in this curriculum’s parameters.
CORE PASSAGE: Philemon 1:8-21 — Verse-by-Verse Analysis
Philemon 1:8
Greek: Διὸ πολλὴν ἐν Χριστῷ παρρησίαν ἔχων ἐπιτάσσειν σοι τὸ ἀνῆκον Gloss: “Therefore, though I have much boldness in Christ to command you what is proper…”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐν Χριστῷ | en Christō | in Christ | the believer’s location/identity/authority sphere | ”in Christ” | Paul’s boldness is not personal authority but authority derived from union with Christ — same “in Christ” identity formula as Romans (Christian Identity in Christ doctrine) | trong Đấng Christ [BASELINE pattern, reuse “Đấng Christ”] | High |
| παρρησία | parrēsia | freedom of speech, openness | boldness, confidence, outspokenness (legal/social courage to speak) | “boldness,” “confidence,” “openly” | Paul possesses the standing to issue a command but deliberately sets it aside — foundational to the letter’s rhetorical strategy of appeal over command | sự dạn dĩ | Medium |
| ἐπιτάσσω | epitassō | to command, order, direct with authority | authoritative command, injunction | ”command,” “order,” “direct” | Named only to be renounced — Paul could command but chooses not to, modeling grace-motivated rather than compelled obedience | truyền (dạy) / ra lệnh | Medium |
| τὸ ἀνῆκον | to anēkon | that which is fitting, due, proper | duty, obligation, what is owed/appropriate | ”what is proper,” “your duty,” “what is fitting” | Care is needed: this could collapse into Confucian “obligation/duty” (nghĩa vụ, bổn phận) framing, which is precisely the compelled-obedience model Paul is contrasting with grace-motivated appeal | điều đáng làm | High |
Philemon 1:9
Greek: διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην μᾶλλον παρακαλῶ τοιοῦτος ὢν ὡς Παῦλος πρεσβύτης νυνὶ δὲ καὶ δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ Gloss: “…yet for love’s sake I would rather appeal to you — I, Paul, an old man (or: ambassador), and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀγάπη | agapē | love | selfless, covenantal, other-directed love (distinct from erōs/philia) | “love,” “charity” (older English) | The stated ground of the appeal itself — Paul grounds the entire request in love, not authority, making ἀγάπη the hinge-word of the letter’s rhetorical strategy | tình yêu thương | Medium |
| παρακαλέω | parakaleō | to call alongside, appeal to, entreat | entreaty, urging, exhortation, comfort (context-dependent) | “appeal,” “beseech,” “urge,” “exhort,” “comfort” | The entreaty sense (not the encouragement/build-up sense) is active here — Paul chooses to entreat rather than command | khuyên nài [BASELINE “exhort” entry — entreaty sense per its own note] | High |
| πρεσβύτης (v.l. πρεσβευτής) | presbytēs (v.l. presbeutēs) | old man / (variant reading) ambassador | age-based authority vs. official/commissioned authority | ”old man,” “elder,” “ambassador” | Genuine early textual variant. If “old man,” Paul appeals to seniority; if “ambassador,” to apostolic commission. The choice affects how the reader understands the basis of Paul’s persuasive authority | người già cả (v.l. sứ giả) — retain a translator’s textual note flagging the variant | Medium |
| δέσμιος | desmios | one who is bound, a prisoner | literal incarceration; here also figurative “bound to Christ" | "prisoner,” “captive” | Paul identifies his suffering-for-Christ status as part of his appeal’s pathos — not coercive leverage but shared vulnerability with Onesimus, who is himself in a form of bondage (slavery) | kẻ bị tù | Medium |
Philemon 1:10
Greek: παρακαλῶ σε περὶ τοῦ ἐμοῦ τέκνου ὃν ἐγέννησα ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς Ὀνήσιμον Gloss: “I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| τέκνον | teknon | child, offspring | biological or spiritual child | ”child,” “son” | Spiritual, not biological, parentage — Onesimus’s new identity in Christ supersedes his social identity as slave | con | Medium |
| γεννάω | gennaō | to beget, bring forth, father | procreation (literal); spiritual begetting (figurative, of conversion) | “begotten,” “fathered,” “brought to birth” | Paul claims spiritual fatherhood over Onesimus through gospel ministry — related to, but distinct from, the legal “adoption” (υἱοθεσία) doctrine of Romans 8; this is begetting through gospel proclamation, not the adoption formula | sinh ra | Medium |
| δεσμοί | desmoi | bonds, chains, fetters | literal imprisonment chains; also figurative “bonds of the gospel” (v.13) | “chains,” “bonds,” “imprisonment” | Paul’s physical confinement becomes, paradoxically, the setting of Onesimus’s spiritual birth | xiềng xích / vòng xiềng | Low |
| Ὀνήσιμος | Onēsimos | ”useful/profitable one” (proper name from ὀνίνημι, “to benefit”) | proper name with an active semantic root | ”Onesimus” | The name itself carries a pun exploited throughout the letter (vv.11, 20) — a slave named “Useful” who had, ironically, become “useless,” and now becomes truly useful in Christ | Ô-nê-sim (retain established transliterated proper-name form; footnote the name’s meaning at first occurrence) | Medium |
Philemon 1:11
Greek: τὸν ποτέ σοι ἄχρηστον νυνὶ δὲ σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ εὔχρηστον Gloss: “who once was useless to you but now is useful to both you and me.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἄχρηστος | achrēstos | useless, unprofitable | worthless, of no benefit | ”useless,” “unprofitable,” “worthless” | Describes Onesimus’s former condition — likely both a wordplay on his name and a description of his conduct before conversion; must not be rendered so bluntly as to sound dehumanizing in Vietnamese, since the doctrinal point is transformation, not lingering worthlessness | vô dụng | Medium |
| εὔχρηστος | euchrēstos | useful, profitable, serviceable | beneficial, of good service | ”useful,” “profitable,” “serviceable” | Marks the gospel’s transforming effect on Onesimus’s character and relationships — direct evidence for the “Slavery and the Gospel’s Transforming Power” doctrine | có ích / hữu dụng | Medium |
Philemon 1:12
Greek: ὃν ἀνέπεμψά σοι αὐτόν τοῦτ’ ἔστιν τὰ ἐμὰ σπλάγχνα Gloss: “I am sending him back to you — sending my very heart.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀναπέμπω | anapempō | to send back, send up (to a superior/proper destination) | dispatch, return, refer | ”send back,” “send up,” “return” | Paul voluntarily returns Onesimus rather than keeping him, embodying the reconciliation he asks Philemon to complete | gửi trả về | Low |
| σπλάγχνα | splagchna | inward parts, entrails; figuratively, the seat of deep emotion/affection | visceral compassion, deepest affection, “heart” (English idiom) | “heart,” “bowels” (older English), “inmost affections” | A visceral idiom for deep love — Paul says Onesimus IS his own heart being sent. Recurs at vv.7, 20, forming an inclusio around the letter’s emotional core | lòng dạ | Medium |
Philemon 1:13
Greek: ὃν ἐγὼ ἐβουλόμην πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν κατέχειν ἵνα ὑπὲρ σοῦ μοι διακονῇ ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Gloss: “I would have liked to keep him with me, that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| βούλομαι | boulomai | to wish, desire, purpose | deliberate wish/intention (stronger than mere preference) | “I wished,” “I desired,” “I would have liked” | Shows Paul’s own desire yielding to Philemon’s rightful authority — Paul models the very voluntary self-limitation he asks of Philemon | ước muốn | Low |
| κατέχω | katechō | to hold fast, retain, keep back | possession, retention, restraint | ”keep,” “retain,” “hold back” | Paul deliberately does not exercise the retention he could have | giữ lại | Low |
| διακονέω | diakoneō | to serve, minister, wait upon | practical service; ministry service | ”serve,” “minister to,” “wait on” | Envisions Onesimus’s transformed usefulness expressed in gospel-related service, not mere slave labor | hầu việc | Low |
| εὐαγγέλιον | euangelion | good news | the gospel message | ”gospel,” “good news” | Standard, well-established term | Tin Lành [BASELINE] | Medium |
Philemon 1:14
Greek: χωρὶς δὲ τῆς σῆς γνώμης οὐδὲν ἠθέλησα ποιῆσαι ἵνα μὴ ὡς κατὰ ἀνάγκην τὸ ἀγαθόν σου ᾖ ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἑκούσιον Gloss: “But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed would not be as if by compulsion but of your own free will.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| γνώμη | gnōmē | mind, judgment, opinion | consent, decision, considered will | ”consent,” “will,” “opinion,” “decision” | Philemon’s free agreement is essential to the outcome’s moral/spiritual value — central to the Grace-Motivated Obedience doctrine | ý riêng / sự đồng ý | Medium |
| ἀνάγκη | anagkē | necessity, compulsion, constraint | external force, obligation imposed from outside | ”compulsion,” “necessity,” “constraint” | Explicitly named as the wrong model for Christian obedience — the opposite pole from grace-motivated response | sự ép buộc | High |
| ἀγαθόν | agathon | good (thing/deed) | moral goodness, a good act | ”good deed,” “good,” “kindness” | The good act in view (freeing/receiving Onesimus as brother) must arise from the heart, not from pressure | điều lành / việc tốt | Medium |
| ἑκούσιον | hekousion | voluntary, willing | free choice, uncoerced willingness | ”voluntary,” “of one’s own accord,” “willingly” | The positive model Paul insists on — obedience/goodness that is freely willed, directly serving the Grace-Motivated Obedience doctrine | cách tình nguyện | High |
Philemon 1:15
Greek: τάχα γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἐχωρίσθη πρὸς ὥραν ἵνα αἰώνιον αὐτὸν ἀπέχῃς Gloss: “For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, that you might have him back forever.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| χωρίζω | chōrizō | to separate, divide | departure, separation (voice ambiguous — active wrongdoing vs. passive providence) | “was separated,” “departed,” “was parted” | The passive voice hints at divine providence at work even in Onesimus’s departure/wrongdoing, without excusing it — a subtle providence note (cf. Romans 8:28 providence doctrine) | bị phân cách / đã lìa khỏi | Medium |
| αἰώνιος | aiōnios | perpetual, lasting, permanent; (elsewhere) eternal | in this verse: permanent/lasting (not the eschatological “eternal life” sense) | “forever,” “permanently,” “for good” | CAUTION: same root as doctrinal “eternal life” (sự sống đời đời) elsewhere in the NT, but here describes the lasting nature of the restored earthly relationship, not life after death — must not be conflated with eschatological “eternal” | mãi mãi | Medium |
| ἀπέχω | apechō | to have fully, possess, receive back in full | full possession/reception; (elsewhere) “receive in full” (commercial receipt language) | “have back,” “receive fully,” “possess” | Suggests a complete, settled reception of Onesimus — not a grudging or partial restoration | được lại (trọn vẹn) | Low |
Philemon 1:16
Greek: οὐκέτι ὡς δοῦλον ἀλλὰ ὑπὲρ δοῦλον ἀδελφὸν ἀγαπητόν μάλιστα ἐμοί πόσῳ δὲ μᾶλλον σοί καὶ ἐν σαρκὶ καὶ ἐν κυρίῳ Gloss: “no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother — especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| δοῦλος | doulos | slave, bondservant | a person legally owned, without personal freedom | ”slave,” “bondservant,” “servant” | THE central term of the letter’s social doctrine: the very category Onesimus is asked to be seen as transcending. Must not be softened into a vague “servant” that erases the real, legally binding bondage at stake, nor rendered in a way that sounds like Paul endorses slavery as an institution | tôi mọi | High |
| ἀδελφὸς ἀγαπητός | adelphos agapētos | beloved brother | familial affection extended to a non-blood relation | ”beloved brother,” “dear brother” | The letter’s theological climax — a slave is to be received as family, “brotherhood across social status” enacted concretely, radically challenging any Confucian-style fixed master–servant hierarchy | anh em yêu dấu | High |
| σάρξ (ἐν σαρκί) | sarx (en sarki) | flesh (here: the natural/social sphere) | physical body; sinful nature (Romans usage); here, the sphere of ordinary human/social relationship | ”in the flesh,” “in human terms,” “in worldly relation” | CAUTION: distinct sense from Romans’ “flesh” as sinful nature — here it denotes the everyday social/legal relationship (master-slave, now to be reconceived), not moral corruption. A translator note is needed so readers do not import the Romans 7-8 negative sarx sense here | theo xác thịt | High |
| ἐν κυρίῳ | en kyriō | in the Lord | the believer’s spiritual union/relational sphere in Christ | ”in the Lord” | Paired contrastively with “in the flesh” — the SAME persons, Philemon and Onesimus, exist simultaneously in a social relationship and in a spiritual one; the spiritual relation is to reshape, not abolish, the social one | trong Chúa [BASELINE “Chúa”] | High |
Philemon 1:17
Greek: εἰ οὖν με ἔχεις κοινωνόν προσλαβοῦ αὐτὸν ὡς ἐμέ Gloss: “So if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| κοινωνός | koinōnos | partner, sharer, associate | one who shares equally in a venture, status, or possession | ”partner,” “associate,” “sharer” | Distinct from κοινωνία (“fellowship,” baseline Low risk) — κοινωνός denotes a specific, reciprocal, equal-standing partnership Paul invites Philemon to extend, by proxy, to Onesimus | bạn hữu | Medium |
| προσλαμβάνω | proslambanō | to take to oneself, receive, welcome | hospitable reception; welcoming acceptance | ”receive,” “welcome,” “accept” | The concrete act of reconciliation requested — receiving Onesimus exactly as Paul himself would be received, erasing status distinction in practice | tiếp nhận | Medium |
Philemon 1:18
Greek: εἰ δέ τι ἠδίκησέν σε ἢ ὀφείλει τοῦτο ἐμοὶ ἐλλόγα Gloss: “And if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge it to my account.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀδικέω | adikeō | to do wrong, act unjustly | moral/legal offense against another | ”wronged,” “did wrong,” “injured” | Names the real injury/offense at the root of the estrangement — essential for the Forgiveness and Reconciliation doctrine to have real content, not merely sentimental reunion | làm hại / gây thiệt hại | Medium |
| ὀφείλω | opheilō | to owe, be indebted | financial debt; moral obligation | ”owes,” “is indebted,” “is in debt” | Frames the wrong in commercial/legal debt terms — must be kept as a personal debt owed to a person, not reframed as impersonal karmic debt (nghiệp) that self-resolves over time | mắc nợ | High |
| ἐλλογάω | ellogaō | to charge to an account, reckon, put on a ledger | accounting/ledger term: to enter a debit against someone’s account | ”charge it to my account,” “put it on my bill,” “impute it to me” | A forensic-accounting metaphor for substitutionary payment — Paul offers to have Onesimus’s debt legally transferred to himself, the same conceptual root (“reckon/impute,” κ cf. λογίζομαι) underlying imputed_righteousness in Romans 4; here functioning as a lived enactment of substitutionary atonement | kể vào (sổ của tôi) / tính vào sổ tôi | Critical |
Philemon 1:19
Greek: ἐγὼ Παῦλος ἔγραψα τῇ ἐμῇ χειρί ἐγὼ ἀποτίσω ἵνα μὴ λέγω σοι ὅτι σὺ σεαυτὸν μοι προσοφείλεις Gloss: “I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it — not to mention that you owe me your very self.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀποτίνω | apotinō | to pay back in full, repay, discharge a debt | full financial repayment (legal/commercial term) | “I will repay,” “I will pay it back,” “I will settle the debt” | Paul personally guarantees full payment — a lived picture of substitutionary payment underlying the Forgiveness and Reconciliation doctrine | tôi sẽ trả (đủ) | High |
| προσοφείλω | prosopheilō | to owe besides, owe in addition | additional/compounding debt | ”you owe me besides,” “you owe me even more,” “you owe your very self” | Paul reminds Philemon that he himself is spiritually indebted to Paul (presumably through Paul’s ministry to him) — the one asked to forgive a debt is himself a forgiven debtor, reinforcing Forgiveness and Reconciliation as reciprocal, not one-directional | còn mắc nợ (tôi) nữa | Medium |
Philemon 1:20
Greek: ναὶ ἀδελφέ ἐγώ σου ὀναίμην ἐν κυρίῳ ἀνάπαυσόν μου τὰ σπλάγχνα ἐν Χριστῷ Gloss: “Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὀνίναμαι (ὀναίμην) | oninamai (onaimēn) | to have benefit, profit, joy from | benefit, delight, profitable gain from another’s action | ”may I have joy of you,” “let me benefit from you,” “may I profit from you” | A direct wordplay on Onesimus’s name (Ὀνήσιμος, “useful/profitable one”) — Paul asks Philemon to let Paul himself experience the “usefulness” his slave’s name promised, by granting the request | được vui / được ích | Medium |
| ἀναπαύω (ἀνάπαυσόν) | anapauō (anapauson) | to give rest, refresh, revive | physical rest; emotional relief/comfort | ”refresh,” “give rest to,” “relieve” | Same verb root behind v.7’s “the hearts of the saints have been refreshed” — Paul asks to be personally, emotionally comforted by Philemon’s compliance | làm cho … được yên ủi | Medium |
| σπλάγχνα | splagchna | inmost affections, heart | (see v.12) | “heart,” “affections” | Closes the inclusio begun at v.7/12 — Paul’s own heart, and by implication Onesimus (called “my very heart,” v.12), await Philemon’s response | lòng dạ | Medium |
Philemon 1:21
Greek: πεποιθὼς τῇ ὑπακοῇ σου ἔγραψά σοι εἰδὼς ὅτι καὶ ὑπὲρ ἃ λέγω ποιήσεις Gloss: “Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.”
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| πείθω (πεποιθώς) | peithō (pepoithōs) | to persuade; (perfect participle) to be confident, trust | settled confidence/trust based on evidence | ”confident,” “trusting,” “persuaded” | Paul’s confidence rests on Philemon’s proven character, not on the coercive force of command — consistent with the letter’s grace-motivated rhetorical strategy | tin chắc | Low |
| ὑπακοή | hypakoē | obedience, compliance | submission to authority; here, responsive compliance flowing from relationship rather than command | ”obedience,” “compliance” | Shares its Vietnamese root with the baseline “obedience of faith” (sự vâng phục của đức tin) — but here standing alone as expected obedience to an appeal, not a command; must be taught, per the Grace-Motivated Obedience doctrine, as a response that flows from love and persuasion, not đạo hiếu-style hierarchical duty | sự vâng phục | High |
WHOLE-BOOK CHAPTER STUDY: Chapter 1 (Philemon 1:1-25)
Philemon is a one-chapter letter. Full coverage of the book therefore requires treating the remaining verses outside the core passage: the salutation and thanksgiving (1:1-7) and the closing greetings and benediction (1:22-25). Section B below is included for structural completeness and cross-references the Core Passage analysis above rather than repeating it.
Section A — Salutation and Thanksgiving (Philemon 1:1-7)
Greek (selected): Παῦλος δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφὸς Φιλήμονι τῷ ἀγαπητῷ καὶ συνεργῷ ἡμῶν, καὶ Ἀπφίᾳ τῇ ἀδελφῇ καὶ Ἀρχίππῳ τῷ συστρατιώτῃ ἡμῶν καὶ τῇ κατ᾿ οἶκόν σου ἐκκλησίᾳ· χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ μου πάντοτε, μνείαν σου ποιούμενος ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου, ἀκούων σου τὴν ἀγάπην καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἣν ἔχεις πρὸς τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν καὶ εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους, ὅπως ἡ κοινωνία τῆς πίστεώς σου ἐνεργὴς γένηται ἐν ἐπιγνώσει παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ τοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν εἰς Χριστόν. χαρὰν γὰρ πολλὴν ἔσχον καὶ παράκλησιν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀγάπῃ σου, ὅτι τὰ σπλάγχνα τῶν ἁγίων ἀναπέπαυται διὰ σοῦ, ἀδελφέ.
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ | desmios Christou Iēsou | prisoner of Christ Jesus | Paul’s self-designation of imprisonment as belonging to Christ’s cause | ”prisoner of Christ Jesus” | Reused throughout the letter (v.1, v.9) as Paul’s chosen self-identity, foregrounding suffering-in-Christ rather than apostolic rank, distinct from his usual “servant/apostle” openings | kẻ bị tù vì Đấng Christ Giê-xu | Medium |
| ἀδελφός / ἀδελφή | adelphos / adelphē | brother / sister | fellow believer, familial term extended to non-blood relation | ”brother” / “sister” | Establishes from the letter’s first line the family language that will later be extended, with far greater social cost, to Onesimus (v.16) — see Christian Brotherhood across Social Status doctrine | anh em / chị em | Medium |
| ἀγαπητός | agapētos | beloved | one who is dearly loved | ”beloved,” “dear” | Standard term of affection opening the letter’s warm, relational tone | yêu dấu | Low |
| συνεργός | synergos | fellow worker, co-laborer | partner in gospel labor | ”fellow worker,” “co-laborer” | Names Philemon’s status as an active gospel partner, which the letter will later invoke (v.17, κοινωνός) as grounds for receiving Onesimus | bạn đồng công | Low |
| συστρατιώτης | systratiōtēs | fellow soldier | comrade in a shared struggle (military metaphor for gospel labor) | “fellow soldier,” “comrade-in-arms” | A vivid metaphor of shared spiritual warfare/labor applied to Archippus; purely honorific, no doctrinal risk beyond the metaphor being understood as figurative | bạn đồng ngũ | Low |
| κατ᾿ οἶκόν ἐκκλησία | kat’ oikon ekklēsia | the church according to (in) the house | a house church meeting in a believer’s home | ”the church that meets in your house” | Reuses the baseline “church” term; clarifies the early church met in homes, not dedicated temple buildings — relevant background so “Hội Thánh” is not pictured as a building | Hội Thánh nhóm tại nhà [BASELINE “Hội Thánh”] | Medium |
| χάρις / εἰρήνη | charis / eirēnē | grace / peace | the standard Pauline epistolary greeting-pair | ”grace and peace” | Reuses baseline terms exactly | ân điển / sự bình an [BASELINE] | High / Medium |
| θεὸς πατήρ | theos patēr | God the Father | God in his fatherly relation | ”God our Father” | Reuses baseline terms exactly | Đức Chúa Trời, Cha chúng ta [BASELINE] | High |
| κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστός | kyrios Iēsous Christos | Lord Jesus Christ | full title of Christ’s lordship and identity | ”the Lord Jesus Christ” | Reuses baseline terms exactly | Chúa Cứu Thế / Đức Chúa Giê-xu Christ [BASELINE components] | Critical |
| εὐχαριστῶ | eucharistō | I give thanks | grateful acknowledgment | ”I thank,” “I give thanks” | Reuses baseline “thanksgiving” root | cảm tạ [BASELINE “sự cảm tạ” — verb form] | Low |
| προσευχή | proseuchē | prayer | address to God | ”prayer,” “prayers” | Standard term, distinct from the more theologically loaded “intercession” (sự cầu thay) | sự cầu nguyện | Low |
| ἀγάπη / πίστις | agapē / pistis | love / faith | Philemon’s reported character | ”love and faith” | πίστις reuses the baseline term; ἀγάπη is a new entry (see Core Passage v.9 above) | tình yêu thương / đức tin [πίστις BASELINE] | Medium |
| ἅγιοι | hagioi | saints, holy ones | all believers as a corporate category | ”saints” | Reuses baseline term exactly; never shortened to bare “các thánh” | các thánh đồ [BASELINE] | High |
| κοινωνία | koinōnia | fellowship, shared participation | shared partnership in faith | ”fellowship,” “partnership” | Reuses baseline term; note its distinction from κοινωνός (v.17), a related but distinct noun for an individual partner | sự thông công [BASELINE] | Low |
| ἐπίγνωσις | epignōsis | full knowledge, precise knowledge | deepened, experiential knowledge | ”knowledge,” “full knowledge” | Describes the maturing effect Paul prays for in Philemon’s faith-partnership | sự hiểu biết | Low |
| χαρά | chara | joy | gladness, delight | ”joy,” “gladness” | Standard term, minimal risk | sự vui mừng | Low |
| παράκλησις | paraklēsis | comfort, encouragement, consolation | the noun form corresponding to παρακαλέω | ”comfort,” “encouragement,” “consolation” | Distinguished from the verb παρακαλῶ (“khuyên nài,” entreaty sense used later in the letter) — here the noun carries the comfort/consolation sense per the baseline exhort entry’s own distinction | sự yên ủi | Low |
| σπλάγχνα … ἀναπέπαυται | splagchna … anapepautai | the inward parts/hearts … have been refreshed | deep affections given relief/rest | ”hearts have been refreshed,” “hearts have found rest” | First occurrence of the σπλάγχνα/ἀναπαύω word pair that recurs at vv.12, 20 — establishes Philemon’s existing reputation for refreshing others’ hearts, which Paul will ask him to extend to Paul’s own heart (Onesimus) | lòng (các thánh đồ) được yên ủi | Medium |
Section B — Appeal for Onesimus (Philemon 1:8-21)
Covered in full, verse-by-verse, in the Core Passage Verse-by-Verse Analysis above. No new terms are introduced here beyond what is already documented for verses 8-21.
Section C — Closing Greetings and Benediction (Philemon 1:22-25)
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 Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν.
| Original | Transliteration | Literal Meaning | Semantic Range | English Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Vietnamese Rendering | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ξενία | xenia | hospitality, guest-lodging | a guest room or lodging arrangement | ”guest room,” “lodging,” “a place to stay” | Paul’s confident hope for a future visit; practical, low doctrinal weight | nơi trọ | Low |
| χαρίζομαι (χαρισθήσομαι) | charizomai (charisthēsomai) | to grant graciously, give freely as a favor | to be given/restored as an act of grace | ”I will be graciously given,” “I will be restored to you” | A deliberate echo of χάρις (ân điển) — Paul frames his own hoped-for release/reunion as itself an act of grace, tying the letter’s personal outcome to the letter’s central grace-theology; a translator note preserving this grace-echo is recommended | tôi sẽ được ban lại cho anh em (bởi ân điển) | Medium |
| συναιχμάλωτος | synaichmalōtos | fellow captive, fellow prisoner-of-war | one taken captive together with another (distinct root from δέσμιος) | “fellow prisoner,” “fellow captive” | A different Greek word from δέσμιος (v.1, v.9), drawing on military-captivity imagery rather than legal imprisonment; purely descriptive of Epaphras’s shared suffering with Paul | bạn cùng bị tù | Low |
| συνεργοί | synergoi | fellow workers | co-laborers in gospel ministry | ”fellow workers,” “co-laborers” | Reuses the term already introduced in v.1 for Philemon himself, now applied to Paul’s traveling companions | bạn đồng công | Low |
| πνεῦμα (τὸ πνεῦμα ὑμῶν) | pneuma (to pneuma hymōn) | spirit (your spirit) | the human inner being/spirit, NOT the divine Person | ”your spirit” | CAUTION: this πνεῦμα refers to the recipients’ own human spirit, not Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον (the Holy Spirit). Must not be rendered in a way that could be confused with the baseline Critical term “Đức Thánh Linh” | tâm linh anh em | Medium |
| χάρις (closing benediction) | charis | grace | the standard Pauline closing grace-benediction | ”grace be with you” | Reuses baseline term exactly, echoing the letter’s opening greeting (v.3) and forming an inclusio of grace around the entire letter | ân điển [BASELINE] | High |
Summary: Load-Bearing Terms Mapped to the Five Curriculum Doctrines
| Doctrine | Key Terms (this book) |
|---|---|
| Forgiveness and Reconciliation | ἀδικέω, ὀφείλω, ἐλλογάω, ἀποτίνω, προσοφείλω, χωρίζω, ἀπέχω |
| Christian Brotherhood across Social Status | δοῦλος, ἀδελφὸς ἀγαπητός, σάρξ (ἐν σαρκί) / ἐν κυρίῳ, κοινωνός, προσλαμβάνω |
| Slavery and the Gospel’s Transforming Power | δοῦλος, ἄχρηστος, εὔχρηστος, Ὀνήσιμος (name pun), διακονέω |
| Intercession and Appeal on Behalf of Another | παρακαλέω, παρρησία, ἐπιτάσσω, τέκνον/γεννάω (spiritual fatherhood), πρεσβύτης/πρεσβευτής |
| Grace-Motivated Obedience | ἀνῆκον, γνώμη, ἀνάγκη, ἑκούσιον, ἀγαθόν, ὑπακοή, χαρίζομαι |
Every chapter of Philemon (the whole one-chapter book) has now been reviewed at the term level: Section A (1:1-7), the Core Passage (1:8-21), and Section C (1:22-25) jointly cover all 25 verses with no gaps.