complete verse (Philemon 1:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of Philemon 1:14:

  • Uma: “But I do/did not want to keep him here if we have not yet agreed. My desire is that what you do, you do from your own heart, not just because I force you.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But I do not want to force you to help me. I want that you help me from your wish/your own will. Therefore I don’t do anything if you don’t agree/are pleased with it.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, I will not yet do this before you permit it. I will not force you to pity me. For what is good is: your doing this should come from a bright breath.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But I decided that it wouldn’t be right if I did that because here you (sing.) haven’t yet had opportunity to give-permission. For I don’t want you (sing.) to be forced to do what is good but rather it should come-from your (sing.) own mind.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But I will not do like that unless you really are the origin. I want your help to be really voluntary, not just being forced.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But I am not keeping him because I do not want to force you to help me. If you want to help me, that desire which comes to your heart must be what is done.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Philemon 1:14

In an attempt to make the flow of thought easier to assimilate, Good News Translation has restructured considerably the contents of the verse; Revised Standard Version follows closely the form of the Greek.

To force you (Good News Translation) represents the Greek kata anagkēn (which in Revised Standard Version appears as “by compulsion”). The word represents the outward pressure or force that is laid on someone, under which he is forced to act in a certain way. “Under duress” would be a modern equivalent of the phrase. I do not want to force you to help me may be expressed as “I do not want you to help me because you think you must do so” or “… because I make you help me.”

To help me represents the Greek “the good thing,” that is, the favor, the kindness, that Paul is requesting of Philemon.

Of your own free will represents the opposite of “compulsion.” Only here in the NT does the phrase occur; see the adverb hekousiōs in Heb 10.26; 1 Peter 5.2. Of your own free will may be rendered as “because you want to do so” or “because that is what you would like to do.”

You agree (Good News Translation) or “your consent” (Revised Standard Version) represents the Greek tēs sēs gnomēs. The noun means “idea, opinion,” and here it clearly means agreement, consent, permission. Paul will not act without Philemon’s approval. The double negative in the final sentence of verse 14 involving not … unless may be restructured as an affirmative, for example, “so I will only do what you agree I should do.”

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 .