I always thank my God, remembering you in my prayers,
Parallel translations
- WEB I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,
- KJV I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,
- NKJV I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers,
- NASB I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,
- NLT I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon,
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 tells Philemon he constantly thanks God for him in prayer. Genuine thanksgiving opens the letter and shows Paul's sincere affection.
Overview
As in many of his letters, Paul begins with gratitude before making any request. His thankfulness is God-directed, recognizing that whatever good is in Philemon is God's work. This steady prayerful remembrance models how Christian love expresses itself first in intercession and praise, and it warms the relationship before the sensitive matter of Onesimus is raised.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Rom 1:8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world.
- Eph 1:16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,
- Col 1:3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
- Phil 1:3I thank my God every time I remember you.
- 2 Th 1:3We 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.
- 1 Th 1:2We always thank God for all of you, remembering you in our prayers
- 2 Tim 1:3I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as did my forefathers, as I constantly remember you night and day in my prayers.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 1:4 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.