Paul and Onesimus Sunday School Lesson for Kids

This free Paul and Onesimus Sunday school lesson teaches kids to welcome each other as family. Paul, "a prisoner of Jesus Christ" (Philemon 1:1), wrote to his friend Philemon about Onesimus, "whom I have begotten in my bonds" (Philemon 1:10), and asked him to receive Onesimus "Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved" (1:16). It comes in four age levels, each a separate printable teacher lesson, plus one take-home sheet for families. Pick the one that fits your class. Everything is in the order you teach it.

Choose your age level

• Preschool (ages 3–5), 20–30 minutes, 2 pages: a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, a welcome-home game, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved") with motions, and a drawing of a friend to welcome.
• Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 3 pages: the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the Welcome Line verse game with five cards, and a welcome letter to draw.
• 3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 4 pages: kids look up verses in their own Bibles as they read the letter (a son in the faith, "unprofitable" and "profitable," "receive him as myself," "put that on mine account"), five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
• Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: students read the whole letter out loud themselves, then discuss asking "for love's sake," a changed past, standing with someone, and receiving one another. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Philemon 1:16 and Romans 15:7).

Lesson at a glance

• Bible passage: Philemon 1:1–25
• Main point: Welcome each other as family.
• Memory verse: Philemon 1:16 (KJV), with Romans 15:7 added for preteens
• Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

1. Opening game: a short game about welcoming someone, delivering a letter, or standing with someone.
2. Bible story: Paul, a prisoner, writes to Philemon about Onesimus, who came to know the Lord through Paul. Paul sends him back and asks Philemon to receive him as a brother beloved, and offers to repay anything he owes. Every fact has its verse reference so you can check it.
3. Questions to ask: with answers, at the right level for each age.
4. Memory verse: a game or motions to help kids learn Philemon 1:16.
5. What this means for us: a changed life in Jesus, the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
6. Activity: the Paul and Onesimus word search, a welcome letter, a drawing, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
7. Prayer.

Tips for teaching Paul and Onesimus

• Practice the names before class: Onesimus (oh-NESS-ih-mus) and Philemon (fi-LEE-mon).
• Philemon is one short chapter near the end of the New Testament. Show kids it is a real letter.
• Keep to what the letter says: it never says Onesimus ran away or stole, and it doesn't tell how Philemon answered.
• Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.