Joe: Alright, so this Bible Expert, tell me about Philemon 1.

Bible Expert: Sure! Philemon 1 is a short letter from Paul to a man named Philemon. Paul is writing to Philemon to ask him to forgive and accept back a runaway slave named Onesimus, who had become a Christian.

Joe: Interesting! So Paul is asking Philemon to forgive a runaway slave?

Bible Expert: Yes, that's right. Paul is asking Philemon to accept Onesimus back as a brother in Christ, rather than a slave. Paul is also asking Philemon to forgive any wrongs Onesimus may have done while he was away.

Joe: Wow, that's really impressive! But why would Philemon listen to Paul?

Bible Expert: Well, Paul is appealing to Philemon's Christian faith. He is asking Philemon to put his faith in action and to practice forgiveness and mercy. Paul also makes a number of other appeals to Philemon's faith, such as his love of the Lord, his trust in the Lord's grace, and his readiness to forgive others.