Philemon 1:23

The same persons send salutations in the accompanying Epistle, except that "Jesus Justus" is not mentioned here. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner--He had been sent by the Colossian Church to inquire after, and minister to, Paul, and possibly was cast into prison by the Roman authorities on suspicion. However, he is not mentioned as a prisoner in Col 4:12, so that "fellow prisoner" here may mean merely one who was a faithful companion to Paul in his imprisonment, and by his society put himself in the position of a prisoner. So also "Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner," Col 4:10, may mean. Benson conjectures the meaning to be that on some former occasion these two were Paul's "fellow prisoners," not at the time.

In this epistle we have, I. The preface (Plm 1:1-7). II. The substance and body of it (Plm 1:8-21). And then the conclusion (Plm 1:22 to the end.)

1:23-25 Paul usually closes his letters with greetings from others and a benediction. Cp. Col 4:7-18; Paul’s letters to the Colossians and to Philemon were probably carried to Colosse at the same time by Tychicus and Onesimus. 1:23 Epaphras was a native of Colosse who first brought the Good News to Philemon and his family (Col 1:7; 4:12).