' Onesimus is also referred to as ' one of you ' and an important helper of Paul who was the run away slave in the book of Philemon who became a believer.

It was suggested by some Bible scholars in the 1950s that this Onesimus is the same as the Onesimus in Paul's letter.

Furthermore, it was suggested that Onesimus could have been the first to compile the letters of Paul, including the letter that gave him his own freedom as an expression of gratitude.

However, the text could also be interpreted as indicating that Paul was demanding the legal freedom of Onesimus and, as an act of both trust and reconciliation, holding Philemon accountable in the higher court of God to accomplish this change himself.

68 AD ) (, Onēsimos, meaning " useful ," also called Onesimus of Byzantium and The Holy Apostle Onesimus in some Eastern Orthodox churches ) was a slave to Philemon of Colossae, a man of Christian faith.

The Epistle to Philemon was written by the Apostle Paul to the slave-master Philemon concerning a runaway slave called Onesimus.

Although it is doubted by authorities such as Fitzmeyer, it may the case that this Onesimus was the same one consecrated a bishop by the Apostles and who accepted the episcopal throne in Ephesus following Saint Timothy.

During the reign of Roman emperor Domitian and the persecution of Trajan, Onesimus was imprisoned in Rome and may have been martyred by stoning ( although some sources claim that he was beheaded ).

The engine of Jill Saves the Prince was licensed to a company called ArK Multimedia Publishing and used for a Christian-themed game called Onesimus: A Quest for Freedom.

Interestingly, while it seems to be that Jill Saves the Prince ( along with the rest of the trilogy ) was developed first, references to Onesimus can be found in the string section and level code of the Jill games.

However, the credits for Onesimus include a " thanks " to the Epic MegaGames staff, which suggests that Onesimus was developed either simultaneously with Jill of the Jungle 3 or developed immediately after it ( See also Christian video games ).

Another undisputed epistle is that to Philemon, which has become an important text in regard to slavery, being used by pro-slavery advocates as well as by abolitionists ; in the epistle, Paul returns Onesimus, a fugitive slave, back to his master nature, which was opposed to the equality in which mankind was created.

The dominant scholarly consensus is that Onesimus is a runaway slave who became a Christian believer.

In 1706 a slave, Onesimus, explained to Cotton Mather how he had been inoculated as a child in Africa.

Paul writes on behalf of Onesimus, Philemon's slave.

Paul notes that because of his conversion, Onesimus is returned " no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother " ( v. 16 ).

Is he to consider Onesimus to be Philemon's " brother " as well as his " slave "?

Does this new brotherhood supplant Onesimus's servitude or does the brotherhood confer only a spiritual equality between Onesimus and Philemon, while the temporal designation of slave remains?

There is thus an ironic contrast between Paul's own temporal imprisonment and Philemon's temporal freedom ( and mastery over Onesimus ), balanced by the inversion of that relationship in what Paul sees as his own spiritual authority over Philemon and Philemon's spiritual subservience to Paul, who is claiming that Onesimus – temporally, a slave – is, spiritually speaking, not simply equal to his master but a brother of his.

Mather, a prominent Boston minister, had heard a description of the African practice of inoculation from his Sudanese slave, Onesimus, in 1706, but had been previously unable to convince local physicians to attempt the procedure.

The practice had been known in Boston since 1706, when Cotton Mather ( of Salem witch trial fame ) discovered that his slave, Onesimus had been inoculated while still in Africa and that many slaves imported to Boston had also received inoculations.

In the epistle, Paul writes that he is returning Onesimus, a fugitive slave, back to his master Philemon.

" He does, however, encourage Philemon to welcome Onesimus " not as a slave, but as more than a slave, as a beloved brother ".

An African slave named Onesimus taught the idea to Cotton Mather, the influential New England Puritan minister.

Published in 1563, comments in Polish Calvinist translation in the Brest Bible point Tychicus and Onesimus to be authors of the epistle.

What is more contentious is how Onesimus came to be with Paul.

Various suggestions have been given: Onesimus being imprisoned with Paul ; Onesimus being brought to Paul by others ; Onesimus coming to Paul by chance ( or in the Christian view, by divine providence ); or Onesimus deliberately seeking Paul out, as a friend of his master's, in order to be reconciled.

The fact that Paul makes the expectation of his own temporal freedom explicit by demanding that Philemon prepare for his literal return is thus a poetic reinforcement of the fact that he expects Onesimus ' temporal freedom to be granted as well.

Just as Paul expects Onesimus ( and, at a later time, himself ) to be freed literally from his yoke, as fellow servants of Christ, they expect to realize their status of brotherhood and thus equality with Christ ( before the Father ) in a literal, temporal fashion, upon Christ's return to earth.

He may be the same Onesimus named by Ignatius of Antioch as Bishop in Ephesus.

The date is designated the ' commemoration of blessed Onesimus ', indicating that it is not regarded as his date of death, and suggesting that his rank in the Catholic Church may be Blessed rather than Saint.

" Curp points out that St. John Chrysostom, in his sermon on Philemon, considers Paul's sending Onesimus back to his master a sign that slavery should not be abolished.

The paradox is further extended when one considers that – despite his claims of spiritual authority over Philemon – Paul frames himself – and, by extension, both Philemon and Onesimus – as fellow bondservants of Christ, who being their spiritual master, is also their brother and equal.

Onesimus is described as having been " separated " from Philemon, once having been " useless " to him ( a pun on Onesimus's name, which means " useful "), and having done him wrong.

Commending Philemon's Christian compassion, but at the same time subtly reminding Philemon of his apostolic authority over him, and the spiritual debt Philemon owes to him, Paul pleads with Philemon to take Onesimus back.

Furthermore, are there implications in the text ( verses 14 and 20 ) that suggest Philemon is actually to return Onesimus to Paul, following forgiving and accepting him as a Christian brother?

Eastern Churches remember Onesimus on 15 February and 22 November.

The traditional Western commemoration of Onesimus is on 16 February.

The name ' Onesimus ' appears in two New Testament epistles.

But in the 2004 edition of the Roman Martyrology, Onesimus is listed under 15 February with the Latin name Onésimi.

Most of the graphics and many level designs from the original game were recycled into Onesimus, which is also known as Escape From Rome, though some text and enemies such as the Demon creatures were replaced.