In an attempt to make the flow of thought easier to assimilate, Good News Translation has restructured considerably the contents of the verse; Revised Standard Version follows closely the form of the Greek.

To force you (Good News Translation) represents the Greek kata anagkēn (which in Revised Standard Version appears as “by compulsion”). The word represents the outward pressure or force that is laid on someone, under which he is forced to act in a certain way. “Under duress” would be a modern equivalent of the phrase. I do not want to force you to help me may be expressed as “I do not want you to help me because you think you must do so” or “… because I make you help me.”

To help me represents the Greek “the good thing,” that is, the favor, the kindness, that Paul is requesting of Philemon.

Of your own free will represents the opposite of “compulsion.” Only here in the NT does the phrase occur; see the adverb hekousiōs in Heb 10.26; 1 Peter 5.2. Of your own free will may be rendered as “because you want to do so” or “because that is what you would like to do.”

You agree (Good News Translation) or “your consent” (Revised Standard Version) represents the Greek tēs sēs gnomēs. The noun means “idea, opinion,” and here it clearly means agreement, consent, permission. Paul will not act without Philemon’s approval. The double negative in the final sentence of verse 14 involving not … unless may be restructured as an affirmative, for example, “so I will only do what you agree I should do.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to Philemon. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .