Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;
Parallel translations
- WEB hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;
- BSB because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.
- NKJV hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,
- NASB because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;
- NLT because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people.
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 gives thanks because he keeps hearing of Philemon's love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints. Philemon's reputation for godliness is well established.
Overview
Faith directed toward Christ and love shown to fellow believers are the twin marks of a true Christian, and Philemon is known for both. His love "toward all the saints" anticipates Paul's plea: will that love now embrace Onesimus, a saint by new birth? Authentic faith in Christ inevitably overflows into love for His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Col 1:4Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
- Eph 1:15Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
- 1 Jn 5:1–2Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
- 1 Cor 16:1Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
- Ps 16:3But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
- Rom 15:25–26But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
- Rom 12:13Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
- Phlm 1:7For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
- Gal 5:6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
- 1 Jn 3:23And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
- Acts 9:39–41Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 1:5 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.