The Epistle to Philemon was written by Paul the Apostle to Philemon concerning a person believed to be a runaway slave named Onesimus. The traditional designation of Onesimus as a slave is doubted by some modern scholars.[6] Onesimus found his way to the site of Paul's imprisonment (most probably Rome or Caesarea)[7] to escape punishment for a theft of which he was accused.[8] After hearing the Gospel from Paul, Onesimus converted to Christianity.