9 Paul the aged. Paul could hardly have been older than in his early sixties by this time, but the vicissitudes of his travels and many persecutions may well have aged him prematurely. No doubt he would like to have retained Onesimus as a helper (Philemon 13), but would not do it because of the greater need to maintain a strong testimony of being void of any real or imagined offense to others, especially Philemon (note Acts 24:16).