Greeting and Thanksgiving for Philemon's Faith and Love
Philemon 1:1-7
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Phlm.1.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Παυλος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- δεσμιος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- Χριστου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Τιμοθεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- αδελφος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- Φιλημονι: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- αγαπητω: ADJ,voc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- συνεργω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
Parallels
- Colossians 1:1 (verbal): Opens with the formula 'Paul and Timothy' (Παῦλος... καὶ Τιμόθεος), mirroring Philemon's joint authorship/address and similar introductory wording.
- Philippians 1:1 (structural): Another Pauline letter beginning 'Paul and Timothy' and addressed to a Christian community; parallels the epistolary greeting structure and the pairing of Paul with Timothy.
- Ephesians 3:1 (verbal): Paul describes himself as 'a prisoner of Christ Jesus' (δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ) here as in Philemon 1:1, a direct verbal self-designation linking the contexts of imprisonment.
- Romans 16:3 (verbal): Uses the term συνεργός/συνεργοί ('fellow worker(s)') of colleagues in ministry, echoing Philemon's address to 'our fellow worker' (τῷ... συνεργῷ ἡμῶν).
Alternative generated candidates
- Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow worker,
- Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow worker,
Phlm.1.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- Απφια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- αδελφη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- Αρχιππω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- συστρατιωτη: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- και: CONJ
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- κατ᾽οικον: PREP
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- εκκλησια·: NOUN,dat,sg,f
Parallels
- Colossians 4:15 (verbal): Uses the same house‑church wording ('the church in his house'), paralleling Philemon's address to 'the church in your house' (τῇ κατʼ οἴκον σου ἐκκλησίᾳ).
- Romans 16:5 (verbal): Paul greets 'the church that meets in their house,' another instance of addressing a house church as in Philemon 1:2.
- 1 Corinthians 16:19 (verbal): Aquila and Priscilla 'greet you in the Lord, with the church that meets at their house,' echoing the formula of a household congregation found in Philemon 1:2.
- Colossians 4:17 (allusion): Names Archippus and exhorts him to fulfill his ministry—connects to the Archippus mentioned in Philemon (here called 'our fellow‑soldier'), indicating the same figure and his ministerial role.
Alternative generated candidates
- and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house.
- and to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
Phlm.1.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- χαρις: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- και: CONJ
- ειρηνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- απο: PREP
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- πατρος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- και: CONJ
- κυριου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- Χριστου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Romans 1:7 (verbal): Uses the same greeting formula: 'Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,' nearly identical wording.
- 1 Corinthians 1:3 (verbal): Paul opens with the same twofold blessing — grace and peace — from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, matching Philemon's salutation.
- 2 Corinthians 1:2 (verbal): Another Pauline salutation pairing 'grace' and 'peace' as coming from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, reflecting the standard epistolary greeting.
- Philippians 1:2 (verbal): Paul's greeting to the Philippians likewise combines 'grace' and 'peace' from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, showing the same Christocentric filial formula.
- Colossians 1:2 (verbal): Colossians opens with 'Grace to you and peace from God our Father,' and in context Paul frequently links this blessing to the Lord Jesus Christ, paralleling Philemon's greeting.
Alternative generated candidates
- Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Phlm.1.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ευχαριστω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θεω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- παντοτε: ADV
- μνειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- ποιουμενος: VERB,pres,mid,part,nom,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- προσευχων: NOUN,gen,pl,f
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
Parallels
- Philippians 1:3-4 (verbal): Paul: 'I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine...' — nearly identical thanksgiving/remembrance-in-prayer formula.
- Ephesians 1:16 (verbal): 'I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers' — almost the same wording and function.
- Colossians 1:3 (verbal): 'We give thanks to God... praying always for you' — similar theme of continual thanksgiving paired with prayer.
- Romans 1:9 (verbal): Paul says he 'without ceasing makes mention of you in my prayers' (God as witness) — close verbal parallel to Philemon's phrasing.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:2 (verbal): 'We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers' — nearly identical language and intent.
Alternative generated candidates
- I give thanks to my God, remembering you in my prayers,
- I always thank my God, making mention of you in my prayers,
Phlm.1.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ακουων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- αγαπην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- πιστιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- εχεις: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- προς: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- κυριον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- Ιησουν: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εις: PREP
- παντας: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- αγιους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
Parallels
- Ephesians 1:15 (verbal): Almost identical wording—Paul says he has heard of the church's faith in the Lord Jesus and love toward all the saints, mirroring Philemon's praise of faith and love.
- Colossians 1:4-5 (verbal): Very similar phrasing: Paul (and co-workers) report hearing of the recipients' faith in Christ Jesus and love for all the saints, linking faith, love, and the hope reserved in heaven.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (thematic): Paul gives thanks for the 'work of faith' and 'labor of love' (and hope), connecting thanksgiving, faith in Christ, and love for the community as in Philemon.
- Galatians 5:6 (thematic): Affirms the theological linkage of faith and love in Christ—'faith working through love'—reflecting Philemon's coupling of faith toward the Lord and love for the saints.
Alternative generated candidates
- because I hear of your love and the faith you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints.
- because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,
Phlm.1.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οπως: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- κοινωνια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- πιστεως: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- ενεργης: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- γενηται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- επιγνωσει: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- παντος: ADJ,gen,sg,masc
- αγαθου: ADJ,gen,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- εν: PREP
- ημιν: PRON,dat,pl,1
- εις: PREP
- Χριστον·: NOUN,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Romans 1:12 (thematic): Paul's desire that he and the recipients be mutually encouraged by one another's faith echoes Philemon's emphasis on the active, shared effect of another's faith.
- Colossians 1:6 (thematic): The gospel 'bearing fruit and growing' among believers parallels Philemon's idea that the sharing of faith become effective and produce good in Christ.
- Colossians 1:9 (verbal): Paul's prayer that believers be filled 'with the knowledge (ἐπίγνωσις) of his will' links directly to Philemon's use of ἐπίγνωσει — knowledge of every good thing in Christ.
- Ephesians 1:17-18 (allusion): Prayer for a spirit of wisdom and revelation 'in the knowledge of him' and the enlightenment of the heart parallels Philemon's concern for growth in saving knowledge that makes faith effective.
Alternative generated candidates
- I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become active through the full knowledge of every good thing that is in you for Christ.
- that the partnership of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing that is in you in Christ Jesus.
Phlm.1.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- χαραν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- γαρ: PART
- πολλην: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- εσχον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- παρακλησιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- επι: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- αγαπη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- οτι: CONJ
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- σπλαγχνα: NOUN,nom,pl,n
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- αγιων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- αναπεπαυται: VERB,perf,mid/pass,ind,3,sg
- δια: PREP
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- αδελφε: NOUN,voc,sg,m
Parallels
- Philemon 1:20 (verbal): Same letter: Paul explicitly asks to ‘refresh my heart’ (ἐν Χριστῷ), echoing the language of saints’ hearts being refreshed through the addressee.
- 2 Corinthians 7:6–7 (thematic): Paul speaks of being comforted/refreshed by Titus’s visit and the good news about the Corinthians’ affection — parallel theme of believers’ hearts being refreshed/comforted through a person’s actions.
- Colossians 2:2 (verbal): Paul prays that ‘their hearts may be encouraged’ (παρακληθῶσιν) and that they be knit together in love — close verbal and thematic overlap with joy/encouragement arising from love.
- Romans 15:5–6 (verbal): Paul invokes God as the source of ‘endurance and encouragement’ (ὑπομονῆς καὶ παρακλήσεως), linking divine-sourced encouragement with communal harmony and joy — resonates with Philemon’s emphasis on joy and encouragement in love.
- Philemon 1:4–5 (structural): Immediate context: Paul thanks God for Philemon’s love and faith and the report that his fellowship has been effective — sets up the praise in v.7 that the saints’ hearts have been refreshed through him.
Alternative generated candidates
- For I have derived great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
- For I have derived much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow worker,
to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your house:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God, always remembering you in my prayers,
because I have heard of your love and of the faith you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints.
I pray that the sharing of your faith may have full effect through the acknowledgment of every good thing that is in you in Christ Jesus.
For I have derived much joy and encouragement from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.