Onesimus Repentance

 The Bible does not explicitly use the word "thief" for Onesimus, but Philemon 1:18–19 implies he stole or owed his master money when he ran away. [1, 2]

The Key Verses

"If he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self." — Philemon 1:18–19 [1, 2, 3]

What Happened

The Runaway: Onesimus was an enslaved man belonging to a Christian named Philemon in Colossae.
The Implied Theft: He ran away from Philemon and likely took money or property with him, which Paul offered to pay back.
The Meeting: Onesimus met the Apostle Paul in Rome while Paul was in prison, where Onesimus converted to Christianity.
The Letter: Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon not as a slave, but as a beloved brother in Christ. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

If you want, I can share more about Paul's letter to Philemon or how Roman laws applied to runaway slaves during that time.