Philemon 1:23-24 Commentary: Prisoners and Partners

Paul writes from Rome under house arrest (Acts 28:30-31). The five men with him represent a cross-section of his ministry network. Epaphras came from Colossae (Col 1:7, 4:12) and may have been the church’s founding pastor. Mark is John Mark, the cousin of Barnabas who left Paul during the first missionary journey (Acts 13:13, 15:37-39). Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with Paul through the Ephesian riot and the voyage to Rome (Acts 19:29, 20:4, 27:2). Luke, the physician (Col 4:14), was Paul’s constant travel companion and the author of the Gospel and Acts. Demas appears here as a coworker, though later tradition records he “loved this present world” and abandoned Paul (2 Tim 4:10).

The singular verb “greets” (Ἀσπάζεταί governs the entire list, meaning these individuals send their greetings as one voice. Ancient letter closings often gathered named associates to affirm the sender’s relationships. Because Philemon likely lived in Colossae (Barnes notes the overlap with Colossians), he would have known these men personally. Their greeting reinforces the community behind Paul’s request for Onesimus, especially after Paul just asked Philemon to prepare a guest room (v.22).

The mention of Demas is sobering. In this moment he stands among the faithful. Years later he would leave. But Paul does not retroactively edit him out. The list stands as a witness both to the power of Christian partnership and to the fragility of human commitment, a tension the early church would have recognized keenly.

The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for these verses. The Greek text is consistent across the major manuscript families, with the four names of the fellow workers appearing in the same order in the earliest witnesses.

Throughout church history, these verses have been read as a window into Paul’s relational network. The figure of Demas in particular became a cautionary example: Calvin warns readers not to “reckon too confidently on the zeal of a single year” but to pray for steadfastness. Epaphras’s title “fellow prisoner” has encouraged Christians to see solidarity with suffering believers as a privilege. The presence of Luke the physician and Mark the evangelist among the coworkers has been cited to show that the early church included people with many vocations, all united in service to Christ.

Three-point outline

1. Shared suffering in Christ. Epaphras is called “fellow prisoner”, whether literal or spiritual, the title binds him to Paul’s afflictions for the gospel.
2. Diverse gifts in service. Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke are “fellow workers” (συνεργοί), each with a different background and role. Partnership in the gospel does not require uniformity.
3. The sobering reality of Demas. He is faithful now; later he would leave. His presence here warns against pride in present zeal and points to the need for perseverance.

Five-point outline

1. Real names, real relationships. These are not symbols but actual people who lived and labored beside Paul.
2. “Fellow prisoner”: a badge of solidarity. Whether in chains or not, Epaphras belongs to Paul’s cause completely.
3. “Fellow workers”: partnership in the gospel. Each person contributed uniquely to Paul’s mission.
4. Demas: a caution and a comfort. A warning that we can fall, yet a comfort that God uses imperfect people.
5. The community behind the letter. Philemon is not being pressured by Paul alone but by the entire network of believers in Rome. No Christian stands alone.

Illustration hooks

• A construction crew with different trades, carpenter, electrician, plumber, working toward one building. Each role matters, but they all answer to the same foreman.
• A friend who sits with someone in the hospital waiting room for hours, not as a patient but as a presence. That is the kind of “fellow prisoner” Epaphras may have been.
• A coworker who left the company after years of excellent service. At the retirement party, you still include their name in the list of contributors. The past partnership was real, even if it ended.

Questions your congregation is asking

• What does “fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus” mean for Christians in countries where the church is persecuted?
• Why would Paul include Demas if he knew he would later fall away?
• How can I be a “fellow worker” with others in my church without burning out?

Paul closes his personal letter to Philemon by listing the names of five Christian brothers who join him in sending greetings. This may seem like a simple sign-off, but these names reveal the web of relationships that sustained Paul’s ministry. Epaphras is called “fellow prisoner”; the others are called “fellow workers.” As you read Philemon 1:23-24 together, consider what these titles tell us about partnership in the gospel.

Discussion questions

1. Who are the five people mentioned, and what do we know about each of them from other parts of the New Testament?
2. What does the title “fellow prisoner” (συναιχμάλωτος) suggest about Epaphras’s relationship with Paul? Why might Paul use such a strong term?
3. Why does Paul list four other names under the single title “fellow workers”? What does this say about how he viewed teamwork in ministry?
4. Demas appears here as a faithful coworker but later abandoned Paul (2 Tim 4:10). How does this fact shape your reading of the verse? Does it change your view of the others?
5. Why would Paul include these greetings in a private letter? What effect might this list have on Philemon as he read it?
6. What does this passage teach about the cost of following Christ? How can your small group support members who face hardship for their faith?
7. Think of one person in your life who has been a “fellow worker” or a “fellow prisoner” with you in some sense. Take a moment to thank God for them.