Philemon 1:11

Modern

Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

Traditional

Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

Literal

…the one once useless to you, but now useful both to you and to me,

Latin

…qui tibi aliquando inutilis fuit, nunc autem et mihi et tibi utilis,

Greek

English

Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

Onesimus means “useful.”
Formerly he was useless, but now he has become useful: This might be a play on words (compare 1:20). Onesimus was now serving others and sharing the good news about Jesus. At last he had become what his name means.

Theme notes and profiles

2 Timothy 4:11
Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me in the ministry.
Job 30:1–2
“But now they mock me, men younger than I am, whose fathers I would have refused to put with my sheep dogs.
Luke 15:32
But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
1 Peter 2:10
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Luke 17:10
So you also, when you have done everything commanded of you, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
Romans 3:12
All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
Matthew 25:30
And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Luke 15:24
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.