An OLD MAN, an elder in years — distinct from presbyteros, the church office, though the roots are shared. ⚠ At Philemon 9 Paul calls himself 'such a one as Paul, a presbytēs', leaning the appeal on the pathos of age. But there is a famous crux: presbeutēs, 'an AMBASSADOR', differs by a single letter, the two were often spelled alike in this period, and 'Paul an ambassador, and now also a prisoner' fits his self-description at Ephesians 6:20 ('an ambassador in chains'). Most editions and versions keep 'old man'; a strong minority read 'ambassador'. The library keeps the plain text and flags the alternative. → first discussed at Philemon 1:9