I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,
The verse belongs to Paul's letter to Philemon from the time of his voyage to Italy, his landing at Puteoli, and his coming to Rome as a prisoner bound to a soldier, when the Christians in Italy who had received his letter to the Romans and had long looked for his visit learned of his approach and came to meet and welcome him. The letter was carried by Onesimus to plead the cause of the repentant slave and to express the desire to retain his services. The verse is an affectionate greeting to Philemon as friend and fellow-laborer at the beginning of the letter. In it Paul regularly remembers Philemon in prayer and thanks God for him, mentioning him always in his prayers.
The thanksgiving is given upon hearing of Philemon's love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and toward all saints. It reminds Philemon that every good purpose and trait of character he possesses is due to the grace of Christ, which alone makes him different from the perverse and the sinful, and that the same grace can make a debased criminal a child of God and a useful laborer in the gospel.
The verse belongs to Paul's letter to Philemon from the time of his voyage to Italy, his landing at Puteoli, and his coming to Rome as a prisoner bound to a soldier, when the Christians in Italy who had received his letter to the Romans and had long looked for his visit learned of his approach and came to meet and welcome him. The letter was carried by Onesimus to plead the cause of the repentant slave and to express the desire to retain his services. The verse is an affectionate greeting to Philemon as friend and fellow-laborer at the beginning of the letter. In it Paul regularly remembers Philemon in prayer and thanks God for him, mentioning him always in his prayers.
The thanksgiving is given upon hearing of Philemon's love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and toward all saints. It reminds Philemon that every good purpose and trait of character he possesses is due to the grace of Christ, which alone makes him different from the perverse and the sinful, and that the same grace can make a debased criminal a child of God and a useful laborer in the gospel.