3682. Onésimos

Lexicon

Onésimos: Onesimus

Original Word: Ὀνήσιμος
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: Onésimos
Pronunciation: o-NAY-see-mos
Phonetic Spelling: (on-ay'-sim-os)
Definition: Onesimus
Meaning: (originally adj: useful, hence the play upon words in Philemon 10, 11, and very common as slave name), Onesimus, a slave of Philemon, a Christian of Colossae.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Onesimus.

From oninemi; profitable; Onesimus, a Christian -- Onesimus.

see GREEK oninemi

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from onésis (use, profit, advantage)
Definition
"useful," Onesimus, a Christian
NASB Translation
Onesimus (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3682: Ὀνήσιμος

Ὀνήσιμος, Ὀνησίμου, ὁ (i. e. profitable, helpful; from ὄνησις profit), Onesimus, a Christian, the slave of Philemon: Philemon 1:10; Colossians 4:9. (Cf. Lightfoots Commentary, introduction, Hackett in B. D.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek word ὀνίνημι (oninēmi), meaning "to profit" or "to be useful."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There are no direct Hebrew equivalents for the Greek name Onesimus, as it is a proper noun specific to the New Testament context. However, the concept of being "useful" or "profitable" can be related to Hebrew words like יָעַל (ya'al • Strong's Hebrew 3276), which means "to profit" or "to be of use."

Usage: Onesimus is a proper noun used in the New Testament to refer to a specific individual, a slave who became a Christian and is mentioned in the Epistle to Philemon.

Context: Onesimus is a significant figure in the New Testament, primarily known from the Epistle to Philemon. He was a slave belonging to Philemon, a Christian leader in Colossae. Onesimus ran away from his master and eventually encountered the Apostle Paul, who was imprisoned at the time. Under Paul's influence, Onesimus converted to Christianity.

Paul wrote the Epistle to Philemon as a personal letter, appealing to Philemon to receive Onesimus back not merely as a slave but as a beloved brother in Christ. In Philemon 1:10-11 (BSB), Paul writes, "I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me."

The letter is a profound example of Christian forgiveness and reconciliation, emphasizing the transformative power of the Gospel. Onesimus's story illustrates the breaking down of social barriers within the Christian community, as Paul advocates for his acceptance as an equal in the faith.

The tradition holds that Onesimus may have later become a prominent leader in the early church, possibly even serving as a bishop. His story is a testament to the redemptive work of Christ in individual lives and the Christian call to unity and love.

Forms and Transliterations

Ονησιμον Ὀνήσιμον Ονησιμω Ὀνησίμῳ όνησιν σὺν Onesimo Onēsimō Onesímoi Onēsímōi Onesimon Onēsimon Onḗsimon sun

Englishman's Concordance

Colossians 4:9 N-DMS
GRK: σὺν Ὀνησίμῳ τῷ πιστῷ
NAS: and with him Onesimus, [our] faithful
KJV: With Onesimus, a faithful and
INT: with Onesimus the faithful

Philemon 1:10 N-AMS
GRK: τοῖς δεσμοῖς Ὀνήσιμον
NAS: to you for my child Onesimus, whom
KJV: my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten
INT: chains Onesimus

Strong's Greek 3682
2 Occurrences

Ὀνησίμῳ — 1 Occ.
Ὀνήσιμον — 1 Occ.