He had endeared himself to Paul by his piety, meekness, and sincerity, no less than by his tender care for the apostle’s comfort and his zeal to promote the work of the gospel. Paul saw in him traits of character that would render him a useful helper in missionary labor, and he would gladly have kept him at Rome. But he would not do this without the full consent of Philemon. He therefore decided that Onesimus should at once return to his master, and promised to hold himself responsible for the sum of which Philemon had been robbed. Being about to despatch Tychicus with letters to various churches of Asia Minor, he sent Onesimus in his company and under his care. It was a severe test for this servant to thus deliver himself up to the master he had wronged; but he had been truly converted, and, painful as it was, he did not shrink from this duty.{LP 285.1}

Han havde vundet sin hengivenhed til Paulus ved hans medynk, sagtmodighed og oprigtighed, ikke mindre end ved hans ømme omsorg for apostlens bekvemmelighed og hans iver for at fremme evangeliets arbejde. Paulus så karaktertræk i ham som ville gøre ham til en nyttig hjælper i missionsarbejde, og han ville med glæde have beholdt ham i Rom. Men han ville gøre dette uden Filemons fulde accept. Han besluttede derfor at Onesimus straks skulle vende tilbage til sin mester, og lovede at drage sig selv ansvarlig for den pengesum, som Filemon var blevet berøvet. Idet han var ved at komme af sted til Tykikus med breve til forskellige menigheder i Lilleasien, sendte han Oneseimus til hans gruppe og under hans varetægt. Det var en hård prøve for denne tjener, og derved overgive sig selv til den mester han havde forurettet; men han var blevet sandt omvendt, og smerteligt som det var, undveg han ikke sin pligt.