# my child Onesimus "my spiritual son Onesimus" # Onesimus The name "Onesimus" means "profitable" or "useful". He was apparently Philemon's slave and had stolen something and run away. # whom I have fathered in my chains "who became my spiritual son when I taught him about Christ and he received new life while I was in my chains" or "who became like a son to me while I was in my chains" # in my chains "while I have been in prison" or "while I was in prison"