Lesson sequence
Philemon 1: Greetings from Paul and Timothy
Philemon 1:1–3; Philemon 1:4–7; Philemon 1:8–22; Philemon 1:23–25
This four-session plan helps children read Philemon as one short letter. They will see how Paul moves from greeting, to thankful prayer, to a careful appeal about Onesimus, and then to final greetings and grace.
Before you teach
Paul and Timothy write to Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and the assembly in a house. Paul begins with grace and peace, thanks God for Philemon’s love and faith, then appeals for Onesimus to be received as a beloved brother. The letter ends with greetings from fellow workers and a closing blessing of grace.
Students will identify the main teaching in each part of Philemon and explain, from the text, how Paul links prayer, love, welcome, and grace.
Your lesson sequence
Use the teaching outline below for each session, with these reading and activity choices.
Greeting and blessing
Philemon 1:1–3
See who is named in the letter and hear Paul’s blessing of grace and peace.
Try together: Find each name in the greeting and make a card with the words grace and peace.
Faith, love, and refreshed hearts
Philemon 1:4–7
Explain why Paul thanks God for Philemon and what his love does for the saints.
Try together: Underline thank, prayers, love, faith, joy, comfort, and refreshed, then explain one of them from the text.
Paul’s appeal for Onesimus
Philemon 1:8–22
Trace Paul’s careful appeal and describe how he asks Philemon to receive Onesimus as a beloved brother.
Try together: Find appeal, free will, beloved brother, receive him, and I will repay it, then choose one line to discuss and copy.
Additional greetings and grace
Philemon 1:23–25
Name the final greeters and hear that the letter closes with grace.
Try together: List the final names and read the closing blessing together.
Welcome: map the letter
4 minShow that this is a letter with named people at the start and end. In each session, begin by finding who is speaking and who is addressed. Session 3 should also note Paul’s careful move from having boldness to command to choosing an appeal for love’s sake.
Philemon 1:1, Philemon 1:2, Philemon 1:8, Philemon 1:9, Philemon 1:23, Philemon 1:24
Read and explain: follow Paul’s flow
8 minRead only that session’s verses aloud. Explain key words from that part: grace and peace in Session 1, love and faith in Session 2, appeal, consent, beloved brother, receive, and repay in Session 3, and grace again in Session 4. Keep definitions tied to the lines being read.
Philemon 1:3, Philemon 1:5, Philemon 1:14, Philemon 1:16, Philemon 1:17, Philemon 1:18, Philemon 1:25
Discuss: what does Paul do here?
6 minAsk children to describe Paul’s action in the passage itself: he blesses, thanks God, reports joy and comfort, appeals for Onesimus, and sends greetings. In Session 3, slow down over Paul’s exact request that Onesimus be received no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother.
Philemon 1:3, Philemon 1:4, Philemon 1:7, Philemon 1:10, Philemon 1:16, Philemon 1:17, Philemon 1:25
Make and respond: key-verse reminder
8 minChildren choose one short line from the day’s reading and make a small reminder card. In Session 3, the line should come from Paul’s appeal, such as receive him or beloved brother, and the response should be a simple act of welcome, kindness, or prayer that matches the text.
Philemon 1:6, Philemon 1:12, Philemon 1:16, Philemon 1:17, Philemon 1:20
Closing: say the lesson in one sentence
4 minEnd by asking for one sentence that fits that day’s verses, using the passage’s own words where possible. Finish with the optional prayer. In the final session, close by reading the grace blessing together as the letter’s last word.
Philemon 1:3, Philemon 1:7, Philemon 1:20, Philemon 1:25
Questions to explore
Which people are named at the start of the letter, and what blessing is spoken to them?
Look at the opening names and then read the line about grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon 1:1, Philemon 1:2, Philemon 1:3
What does Paul thank God for when he prays for Philemon?
Notice the words love, faith, joy, comfort, and refreshed hearts in the thanksgiving.
Philemon 1:4, Philemon 1:5, Philemon 1:7
How does Paul want Philemon to receive Onesimus?
Read the request carefully and include both receive him as you would receive me and beloved brother.
Philemon 1:16, Philemon 1:17
Make, think or respond
Philemon Key-Line Card
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils
- coloured pencils or crayons
- Bible text
Try it together
- Choose one short line from the day’s reading.
- Copy the line onto a small card.
- Draw one simple symbol that matches it, such as a house, praying hands, or an open door.
- Turn the card over and write one action that fits the verse, such as pray, encourage, welcome, or remember grace.
The card keeps one main line from each part of Philemon in front of the children and links their response to the passage’s own words.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, give two short verse options and let them dictate the action sentence.
- For older children, ask them to explain why Paul says he could command, yet chooses to appeal for love’s sake and for free will.
An optional closing prayer
Proposed words: Lord Jesus, thank you for your grace. Please help us to pray for others, love your people, and welcome others in ways that fit your word. Amen.
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Philemon 1
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,
2 to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,
5 hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,
6 that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus.
7 For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
8 Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,
9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains,
11 who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
13 whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.
14 But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.
15 For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever,
16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.
18 But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account.
19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).
20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.
21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.
22 Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.