The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chains:
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Onesiphorus. This person, also an inhabitant of Asia, seems to have supplied St. Paul with necessaries, as well at Rome during his confinement, as at Ephesus. Timothy being with St. Paul at the latter place, knew better the charities of Onesiphorus there than at Rome, at which place he was not eye witness of them. (Denis the Carthusian)
Such ought the faithful to be—like Onesiphorus. Neither fear nor threats nor disgrace should deter them from assisting one another, standing by them and succoring them as in war. For they do not so much benefit those who are in danger, as themselves, by the service they render to them, making themselves partakers of the crowns due to them…. For as in the service of kings, not only those who fight the battle but those who guard the baggage share in the honor. Even more, they frequently even have an equal portion of the spoils, though they have not soaked their hands in blood, nor stood in array, nor even seen the ranks of the enemy. So it is in these conflicts. For he who relieves the combatant, when wasted with hunger, who stands by him, encouraging him by words and rendering him every service, is not inferior to the combatant.
