The Bible Study Podcast, episode 302. Today, the Bible Study podcast does a one-episode study of Philemon.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast from your host, Chris Christensen. As I mentioned last week, as we were studying Colossians,

we're going to move on to Philemon because one of the people mentioned in both letters is

Onesimus, and that is what this letter is about. This is, as we say, a letter. It is also an epistle

where Paul is writing from jail, and in particular he is writing to an individual. There are three individuals that Paul

writes to in his letters. The rest of the letters are to churches. And the three are Philemon,

Timothy, and Titus. And I think actually where we're going to go to after this studies,

we're probably going to go on to the epistles to Timothy. But let's read Philemon. Paul, a prisoner of Christ, Jesus,

and Timothy, our brother. To Philemon, our dear friend and fellow worker, also to Apphia, our sister,

and archipus, our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home. Grace and peace to you

from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

So I mentioned this was to Phileman, but it is also, as we said, to the community of saints

that are in that area that Philemon is. And Paul continues, I always thank my God as I remember

you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all the holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the

faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake

of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement because you, brother, have

refreshed the hearts of the Lord's people.

Very similar greeting to the greetings that we get to Colossians. And again, we're talking to

somebody who comes from that same faith community, which is why Onesibus, who here we're

about to talk about is mentioned in both letters. But he's basically saying, as I think of you, it gives me joy.

It gives me joy because I think of the faith that you have shown, but I think of the actions that

that faith has taken. And I think of all the encouragement that you have given me, but also the

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