Voluntary Goodness
W. Jones, D. D. Philemon 1:14 But without your mind would I do nothing; that your benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. It is a received axiom — That which is good of necessity, is not good, yet this is to be understood of a coacted necessity, not of a voluntary. God is necessarily, yet willingly, good. Death comes necessarily upon all; yet some die willingly. But the good which is done upon a constrained necessity, loses the name of good: patience perforce is no patience. A willing mind in a good action is all in all. If Solomon had not willingly built the temple, it had not been pleasing to God; if the centurion had not willingly set up the synagogue, God would not have respected it; if the woman of Shunem had not willingly entertained the prophet, it had been no good work in the sight of God; if Dorcas had not made the coats willingly, they had not been acceptable to God. (W. Jones, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. WEB: But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.