Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
Parallel translations
- WEB Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.
- KJV Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.
- NKJV Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
- NASB Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.
- NLT I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul writes confident that Philemon will obey and even do more than he asks. He trusts the depth of Philemon's Christian character.
Overview
Paul expresses warm assurance in Philemon's willing obedience, gently raising the bar by anticipating he will go "beyond" the request. Many readers see here a quiet hope that Philemon might even free Onesimus, though Paul leaves the specifics to Philemon's grace. Such trust both honors Philemon and lovingly calls forth the very generosity Paul desires.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 2 Th 3:4And we have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.
- 2 Cor 2:3I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be saddened by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would share my joy.
- 2 Cor 7:16I rejoice that I can have complete confidence in you.
- Gal 5:10I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.
- 2 Cor 8:22And we are sending along with them our brother whose earnestness has been proven many times and in many ways, and now even more so by his great confidence in you.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
The plea to receive a runaway slave as a beloved brother, charging his debt to Paul's account, is a living picture of how Christ receives us and pays what we owe.
How Philemon 1:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.