onésimos

Onésimos is a figure mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible, specifically in the Epistle to Philemon. He is presented as a slave who belonged to Philemon, a wealthy Christian living in Colossae. Onésimos fled from his master, an act that would have carried severe penalties in Roman society.

The Apostle Paul encountered Onésimos while imprisoned, likely in Rome, and seemingly led him to Christianity. Paul then wrote a personal letter to Philemon, urging him to forgive Onésimos and to receive him back not as a runaway slave, but as a beloved brother in Christ. The letter is remarkable for its tact and its appeal to Christian principles of love and reconciliation.

The name Onésimos means "useful" or "profitable" in Greek. Paul plays on this meaning in his letter, suggesting that Onésimos was formerly unprofitable to Philemon, but has now become useful both to himself and to Paul, and will now be profitable to Philemon as well. The exact fate of Onésimos after the letter was sent is not recorded in the Bible, though later tradition suggests he may have been freed and became a prominent figure in the early church, possibly even accompanying Paul on his travels. The Epistle to Philemon is the only New Testament text that directly addresses Onésimos.