NET Bible
"I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the sake of the gospel."
— Philemon 1:13, NET Bible
“Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:”
“whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel: ”
“whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.”
“Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered to me in the bands of the gospel.”
“Though my desire was to keep him with me, to be my servant in the chains of the good news, in your place:”
“Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:”
I am appealing to you concerning my child, whose spiritual father I have become during my imprisonment, that is, Onesimus,
who was formerly useless to you, but is now useful to you and me.
I have sent him(who is my very heart) back to you.
I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the sake of the gospel.
However, without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your good deed would not be out of compulsion, but from your own willingness.
For perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a little while, so that you would have him back eternally,
no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a dear brother. He is especially so to me, and even more so to you now, both humanly speaking and in the Lord.