SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:23
Te saludan Epafras, mi compaero en la prisin por el Cristo Jess.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Philemon 1:23
Verse 23. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner] Epaphras was a Colossian, as we learn from Col. iv. 12: Epaphras, who is one of you. But there is no account there of his being in prison, though the not mentioning of it does not necessarily imply that he was not. Some time or other he had suffered imprisonment for the truth of the Gospel; and on that account St. Paul might, in a general way, call him his fellow prisoner.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 23. There salute thee Epaphras , &c.] Who was a Colossian, and minister of the church at Colosse, and so might be well known to Philemon, who seems to have been of the same place and church; (see Colossians 1:7 4:12,13) his name is omitted in the Ethiopic version: my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus ; this good man, and minister of Christ, might have been sent by the Colossians, as Epaphroditus was by the Philippians, to the apostle at Rome, to pay him a visit, and comfort and assist him under his afflictions; and staying and preaching the Gospel there, was committed to prison, or was laid in bonds, as the apostle was, and upon the same account; namely, for the sake of Christ, and his Gospel. For by this time Nero began to persecute the Christians, which he did in the better and more moderate part of his reign; for among several things for which he is commended by the historian f5 , this is one; Afficti suppliciis Christiani, genus hominum superstitionis novae ac maleficae; the Christians were punished, a sort of men of a new and bad religion: and Epaphras being at Rome, when this persecution broke out, was taken up and put in prison, as were also Aristarchus, ( Colossians 4:10) and Timothy, ( Hebrews 13:23).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 23-25 - Never have believers found more enjoyment of God, than when sufferin together for him. Grace is the best wish for ourselves and others; with this the apostle begins and ends. All grace is from Christ; he purchased, and he bestows it. What need we more to make us happy, tha to have the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ with our spirit? Let us d that now, which we should do at the last breath. Then men are ready to renounce the world, and to prefer the least portion of grace and fait before a kingdom __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ασπαζονται 782 5736 σε 4571 επαφρας 1889 ο 3588 συναιχμαλωτος 4869 μου 3450 εν 1722 χριστω 5547 ιησου 2424
Vincent's NT Word Studies
23. Epaphras my fellow prisoner (Epafrav o sunaicmalwtov mou). Epaphras is mentioned Col. i. 7; iv. 12. Some identify him with Epaphroditus, but without sufficient reason. Epaphroditus appears to have been a native of Philippi (Philip. ii. 25), and Epaphras of Colossae (Col. iv. 12). Epaphroditus is always used of the Philippian, and Epaphras of the Colossian. The names, however, are the same, Epaphras being a contraction.
It is disputed whether fellow-prisoner is to be taken in a literal or in a spiritual sense. For the latter see Rom. vii. 23; 2 Cor. x. 5; Eph. iv. 8. Compare fellow-soldier, ver. 2, and Philip. ii. 25. In Rom. xvi. 7, the word used here is applied to Andronicus and Junia. Paul was not strictly an aijcmalwtov prisoner of war (see on Luke iv. 18). The probabilities seem to favor the spiritual sense. Lightfoot suggests that Epaphras' relations with Paul at Rome may have excited suspicion and led to his temporally confinement; or that he may voluntarily have shared Paul's imprisonment.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:23 {Epaphras} (Epaphras). The Colossian preacher who apparently started the work in Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea, and who had come to Rome to enlist Paul's help in the fight against incipient Gnosticism in the Lycus Valley. {My fellow-prisoner} (ho sunaicmalwtos mou). See on Ro 16:7 for this word, also in #Col 4:10. Used metaphorically like the verb aicmalwtizw in #2Co 10:5, though some hold that Epaphras became a prisoner with Paul in Rome.
