Philemon, 1
11. In times past, he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to me and to you.
11. In times past, he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to me and to you.
Chapter 1 of Filêmon is a letter written by the apostle Paul to his friend Filêmon, asking him to forgive and receive back his fugitive slave, the ÉSIMO, now converted to Christianity. The topics covered in this chapter include forgiveness, reconciliation, and Christian love. Below are five verses related to these themes, in order of proximity to the chapter:
Ephesians 4:32: "On the contrary, be kind and compassionate to each other, forgiving each other, just as God forgave them in Christ." This verse talks about the importance of forgiveness and goodness among Christians, noting that we must forgive others in the same way that God has forgiven us through Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:18: "All this comes from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." Here Paul talks about the reconciliation God offers everyone through Christ, and how this reconciliation is a ministry that must be shared by Christians with others.
Romans 12:10: "Love one another with each other with fraternal love and prefer you in honor of one another." This verse talks about the importance of fraternal love among Christians, and how we should demonstrate this love for each other through honor and respect.
1 John 4:20: "If anyone claims, 'I love God,' but hate his brother is a liar, for he who does not love his brother, whom he sees, cannot love God, whom he does not see." This verse highlights the importance of love for other Christians, stating that we cannot truly love God if we do not love those who are their children either.
1 Peter 4:8: "Above all, however, it tends intense love to each other, because love covers a multitude of sins." This verse talks about the intense love that we should have for each other, emphasizing how love can cover many sins and failures among Christians.
“Que Nossa Senhora nos obtenha o amor à cruz, aos sofrimentos e às dores.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina
