Matthew Poole and continuators on Philemon 1:15

15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldst receive him for ever .

Onesimus in departing designed no such thing, but possibly God in the wisdom of his Providence suffered him to depart from thee, and to fall into theft, that he might upon that occasion come to a quicker sense, and conviction of sin, and see a need of a Saviour and being turned from sin unto God, and imbraced Christ our common Saviour, thou mightest receive, love, and imbrace him [non-Latin text not transcribed], for ever, this ever, in this life, that is, so long as you both should live.