complete verse (Philemon 1:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of Philemon 1:12:

  • Uma: “So now, this child whom I love I am ordering to return ["to you" implied in verb].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I am sending back to you Onesimus whom I really love.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I am now returning to you Onesimus who is very dear to me.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I am hereby returning (him) to you (sing.), he whom I much-love, so that you (sing.) will be in-charge-of/responsible-for him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Now I am causing him to return to you, and in the big-size of my holding him dear, you could say that my own body is what I am causing to return.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now I will send him to go to where you are. But I will never forget him because I very much love him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Philemon 1:12

I am sending … back represents the epistolary aorist (see Col 4.8). What follows in Greek, “that is, my own heart,” is in apposition to “him.” What Paul means is that his love, concern, and most intimate feelings are tied up with Onesimus future, and in returning him to Philemon, Paul is sending his own deepest interests. It is as though Paul himself were going to Philemon.

In selecting a verb to translate sending, it is important to employ a term which is applicable to individuals and not merely to objects. An appropriate translation of I am sending him back to you now must often be rendered as a causative, for example, “I am now causing him to go back to you,” or “… to travel back to you,” or “… to return to you.”

The clause and with him goes my heart is an excellent idiomatic rendering of the underlying Greek text, but it is rare that such an expression can be translated literally into other languages. A more appropriate equivalent may be “he is one who is very dear to me” or “I love him very much.”

This verse was much altered by copyists; for a late resultant text, see King James Version.

The Greek for heart here is the same as in verse 7.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to Philemon. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .