What Does Philemon 1:5 Mean in the King James?

Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;

Philemon 1:5 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

Here, devotion to the Lord and regard for all the saints share one relational center.

THE MEANING

Your love and trust are directed toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints. The verse holds devotion to him and connection with people together in one living relationship.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that trust in the Lord can remain detached from love for other people.

THE ROOT

ἀγάπην

agapēn

GROWS FROM

ἀγαπ-

The Greek stem ⁨ἀγαπ-⁩ (agap-) carries the sense of loving or holding dear.

The same stem names both loving and the beloved, joining the bond to the one held dear. Here love appears alongside trust and reaches toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints, holding devotion and regard for people within the same relationship.

ALSO GROWS

agapaō: to love

ἀγαπάω

This verb shares the ⁨ἀγαπ-⁩ stem and shows the same love as an active relation.

agapētos: beloved

ἀγαπητός

This adjective shares the stem and names the one who is held dear, giving love a person toward whom it is directed.

THE PATTERN

Trust and love take shape as one relational life, directed toward God and expressed among people.

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deuteronomy 6:5 · KJVLove directed toward God encompasses the whole person, giving the relationship an undivided center.

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

1 Thessalonians 1:3 · KJVFaith and love appear together as lived relationships, each taking visible form.

And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

1 John 4:21 · KJVLove toward God extends into love for another person, joining devotion and human connection.

THE THREAD

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Galatians 5:6 · KJV

Philemon names love and faith together; Galatians shows their relation by describing faith as working through love. What appears as two directions here becomes one movement: trust taking form through love.

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