What Does Philemon 1:6 Mean in the King James?
That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
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
Faith becomes effective as the good already within you is recognized and shared.
THE MEANING
Your trust becomes active as you recognize every good thing already present in you in Christ Jesus. What is within comes into shared life through that recognition.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the belief that living trust depends on adding something absent: it locates the good already within you and shows recognition bringing it into shared expression.
THE ROOT
κοινωνία
koinōnia
GROWS FROM
κοινός
koinos
common, shared
English “communication” can sound like words exchanged; κοινωνία (koinōnia, sharing in common) also holds participation and shared life. The verse shows trust taking effect as the good within becomes something people share.
ALSO GROWS
koinos: common, shared
κοινός
The shared quality is already inside the verse’s picture of faith becoming common life.
koinōnos: partner, one who shares
κοινωνός
This same word family appears in Philemon 1:17, where sharing takes the concrete shape of receiving another as a partner.
koinōneō: share, participate
κοινωνέω
The verb makes the root’s movement clear: faith is active in participation, not only held privately.
ἐνεργής
energēs
GROWS FROM
ἔργον
ergon
work, deed; that which is done
The word rendered “effectual” carries the sense of being active or at work. Recognition does not manufacture the good; it brings what is already within into expression.
ALSO GROWS
energeō: work, be active
ἐνεργέω
It shows the same family describing something becoming operative.
energeia: working, activity
ἐνέργεια
The shared root links effectiveness to activity unfolding, rather than to an abstract quality.
ἐπίγνωσις
epignōsis
GROWS FROM
γινώσκω
ginōskō
know, perceive
“acknowledging” in this verse is epignōsis. The verse ties shared trust to recognition: seeing the good already present gives it room to become active. Knowing here opens perception onto what is within, rather than adding something new.
ALSO GROWS
ginōskō: know, perceive
γινώσκω
This is the knowing at the heart of the verse’s recognition.
epiginōskō: recognize, come to know
ἐπιγινώσκω
This verb shares the root and shows recognition as an arriving at what is there to be perceived.
THE PATTERN
What is already within becomes active as it is recognized and drawn into shared life.
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.THE THREAD
If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.“Partner” translates κοινωνός (koinōnos), from the same word family as κοινωνία (koinōnia), “sharing in common.” This opens the verse’s “communication” of faith further: shared trust takes shape as receiving another as a partner.
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