Philemon 1:5
in Philemon 1because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
hearing of thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;
KJV
Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;
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This verse in Philemon 1
Commentary
14 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Hearing of thy love and faith - Either by Onesimus, who, after his conversion, would be disposed to state all that he knew that was favorable of Philemon, or hearing it by some other persons who had come from Colosse to Rome. The faith which is mentioned here refers to the Lord Jesus; the love, to the saints. The order in the Greek is indeed the same as in our version, but it is not unusual by synthesis, or uniting two or more things together, to arrange words in that manner.
This site's exposition
remembering you in my prayers
on Philemon 1:4-7
The thanksgiving records Philemon's love for all the saints: he has refreshed the hearts of the saints. The Greek splanchna, hearts, returns for Onesimus at verse 12 and for Paul at verse 20. Philemon is asked for what he is known for.
This site's exposition
your love for all the saints
Barnes suggests Paul heard of this love from Onesimus himself. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown hold that Philemon had met Paul away from Colossae and come to faith through him, which verse 19 assumes. A love for all the saints must now reach one more.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
If ever "I" make "mention of you", I always do, "I give thanks to God" for you. Why? "Hearing of your love and faith", he says. Do you see that he does not immediately seek favor from the beginning? "hearing of your love". which, if …
But if Paul always prayed for the saints and for the better ones (Philemon, who is indeed a saint, who also demonstrated such great faith and love that he was known not only by his reputation, but also by his works) and it is likely that he always prayed for Philemon, so that the faith and love he had in Christ, and in all his holy ones, through the communication of faith and the operation of knowledge, would be kept by the mercy of Christ in all goodness.
If the question is asked—"How can we have the same faith in Christ Jesus and toward all the saints?"—the answer is that you have love in Christ Jesus and toward the saints, and you have the same faith in Christ Jesus and toward the saints by a shared property.… It is because the same holiness is shared by the Lord and by his servants, as Old Testament usage shows. As long as we believe in the holiness of God, we shall see it in his true servants as well.
"Hearing," he says, "of thy love." This is wonderful, and much greater than if being present he had seen it when he was present. For it is plain that from its being excessive it had become manifest, and had reached even to Paul. And yet the distance between Rome and Phrygia was not small. For he seems to have been there from the mention of Archippus. For the Colossians were of Phrygia, writing to whom he said, "When this Epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans, and that ye likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea." (Col. iv. 16.) And this is a city of Phrygia.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Here he praises him for his goodness. From Phrygia it would not have been heard in Rome about his love and faith, if it had not been great. Since you love all the saints, that is, the faithful, you should also love Onesimus, for he …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Stating the matter of his giving thanks and of his prayer, he shows what he asks when he prays for them. The matter of this was the needs and goods of Philemon, namely, both charity and faith. For without charity nothing avails and through it …
The Reformation1 voice
Hearing of thy love and faith. This praise, which he bestows on Philemon, includes briefly the whole perfection of a Christian man.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Hearing of thy love and faith,....
The apostle's thanksgiving and prayer for Philemon are here set forth by the object, circumstance, and matter of them, with the way whereby much of the knowledge of Philemon's goodness came to him. Here is the object of Paul's praises and prayers for Philemon: I thank my God, making mention of thee in my prayers,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Now Colosse, Philemon's place of residence, he had never yet seen. Yet Phm 19 here implies that Philemon was his convert. Philemon, doubtless, was converted at Ephesus, or in some other place where he met Paul. love and faith--The theological order is first faith then love, the fruit of faith.
Hearing of thy love and faith - His faith in Christ Jesus, his love to the saints. Several excellent MSS. and some versions put faith before love, which makes a more natural reading. There is no figure of speech which would vindicate our saying faith in the saints; so that, if we do not allow of the arrangement in the MSS. referred to, we shall be obliged to have recourse to the transposition, because faith must refer to Jesus Christ, and love to the saints.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀκούων | akouon | hearing | G191 → | |
| σου | sou | of your | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγάπην | agapen | love | G26 → | 114 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πίστιν | pistin | faith | G4102 → | |
| ἣν | hen | that | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἔχεις | echeis | you have | G2192 → | 707 times |
| πρὸς | pros | toward | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κύριον | kurion | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| Ἰησοῦν | iesoun | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἰς | eis | toward | G1519 → | |
| πάντας | pantas | all | G3956 → | |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἁγίους, | hagious | saints, | G40 → |
ἀκούωνhearing
akouonG191 →
σουof your
souG4771 →2973 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἀγάπηνlove
agapenG26 →114 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
πίστινfaith
pistinG4102 →
ἣνthat
henG3739 →1405 times
ἔχειςyou have
echeisG2192 →707 times
πρὸςtoward
prosG4314 →700 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
κύριονLord
kurionG2962 →711 times
ἸησοῦνJesus
iesounG2424 →908 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἰςtoward
eisG1519 →
πάνταςall
pantasG3956 →
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἁγίους,saints,
hagiousG40 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Colossians 1:4because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints—
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 1:3
We are obligated to thank God for you all the time, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, and your love for one another is increasing.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 6:10
For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Ephesians 1:15
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3
and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:3
Through
1 Corinthians 16:1Now about the collection for the saints, you are to do as I directed the churches of Galatia:
it leads to
- 1 John 3:17
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 12:13
Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.
- 2 Corinthians 8:1–9
Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia.
- 1 John 3:17
Through
Ephesians 1:15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
it leads to
- Colossians 1:3–4
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
- Colossians 1:3–4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Philemon
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Philemon; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, Homily on Philemon 2; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON PHILEMON; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Philemon and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Philemon.