Philemon 1:19 (DRB)

Passage

I Paul have written it with my own hand: I will repay it: not to say to thee that thou owest me thy own self also.

Nearby Context

Philemon 1:17 If therefore thou count me a partner, receive him as myself.

Philemon 1:18 And if he hath wronged thee in any thing or is in thy debt, put that to my account.

Philemon 1:19 I Paul have written it with my own hand: I will repay it: not to say to thee that thou owest me thy own self also.

Philemon 1:20 Yea, brother. May I enjoy thee in the Lord! Refresh my bowels in the Lord.

Philemon 1:21 Trusting in thy obedience, I have written to thee: knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "paul", "written", "hand", "repay", "thee", "thou", "owest", and "self". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "paul" and "written", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "And if he hath wronged thee in..." into verse 20's "Yea brother May I enjoy thee in...", so "paul" and "written" belong inside that flow. In Philemon context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "paul" and "written" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.