After offering to assume the debt of Onesimus, Paul gently reminded Philemon how greatly he himself was indebted to the apostle; he owed to him his own self in a special sense, since God had made Paul the instrument of his conversion. He then, in a most tender, earnest appeal, besought Philemon that as he had by his liberalities refreshed the saints, so he would refresh the spirit of the apostle by granting him this cause of rejoicing. “Having confidence in thy obedience,” he added, “I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.” {LP 287.3}

Efter at ville overtage Onesimus gæld, minder Pauls Filemon venligt om hvor meget han selv var i gæld til apostlen; han skyldte ham sig selv i en særlig forstand, eftersom Gud havde gjort Paulus til et redskab for hans omvendelse. På den ømmeste og alvorligste appel, besøgte han Filemon, da han havde genopfrisket de hellige ved sin gavmildhed, og derved genoplive apostlens humør, ved at give ham denne glade sag. "I tillid til din lydighed" tilføjer han, "skriver jeg dette til dig; jeg ved jo, at du endogså vil gøre mere end det, jeg siger."