Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A book of the New Testament: "Philemon" is the name of a short book in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, consisting of a letter from the Apostle Paul to a man named Philemon.
   • A figure in the New Testament: "Philemon" refers to a Christian man, likely living in Colossae, to whom the New Testament epistle is addressed. The letter concerns his escaped slave, Onesimus.
   • A figure in Greek mythology: "Philemon" is the name of a pious, elderly peasant who, with his wife Baucis, offered generous hospitality to the gods Zeus and Hermes in disguise.

Examples of Usage

• Proper noun (Biblical book): The Epistle to Philemon is the shortest of Paul's letters. We studied the themes of forgiveness in the Book of Philemon.

• Proper noun (Biblical person): Paul wrote to Philemon asking him to welcome back his former slave as a brother. The letter to Philemon is a personal appeal for reconciliation.

• Proper noun (Mythological figure): In the myth, Philemon and Baucis were rewarded for their kindness to the disguised gods. The story of Philemon is an example of the importance of hospitality in ancient culture.

Advanced Usage

• "The Philemon principle": Sometimes used in theological discussions to refer to the principles of forgiveness, reconciliation, and Christian brotherhood exemplified in the New Testament letter.

Variants and Related Words

• Philemonic (adj): Pertaining to the Epistle to Philemon or its themes. (Rare, scholarly usage).

Synonyms

• None as a proper noun. For the thematic concepts in the Biblical epistle: forgiveness, reconciliation, appeal. For the mythological concept: host, pious man.

Related Phrases

• "A Philemon-like act": An act of exceptional forgiveness or hospitality.

Related Idioms

• None directly derived from the name "Philemon." The story of Philemon and Baucis from mythology is a classic parable of hospitality.

Noun

1. a New Testament book containing an epistle from Saint Paul to Philemon asking Philemon to forgive the slave for escaping
2. (New Testament) a Christian (probably living in Colossae) whose slave escaped and went to see Saint Paul
3. (Greek mythology) a simple countryman who offered hospitality to Zeus and Hermes when they came to earth without revealing their identities in order to test people's piety