Philemon 1:21
New International Version
Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

New Living Translation
I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more!

English Standard Version
Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

Berean Standard Bible
Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

Berean Literal Bible
Being persuaded of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even above what I say.

King James Bible
Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

New King James Version
Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

New American Standard Bible
Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

NASB 1995
Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

NASB 1977
Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

Legacy Standard Bible
Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

Amplified Bible
I write to you [perfectly] confident of your obedient compliance, since I know that you will do even more than I ask.

Christian Standard Bible
Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

American Standard Version
Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Because I trust that you will listen to me, I have written to you and I know that you will do more than what I have said.

Contemporary English Version
I am sure you will do all I have asked, and even more.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Trusting in thy obedience, I have written to thee: knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

English Revised Version
Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I am confident as I write to you that you will do this. And I know that you will do even more than I ask.

Good News Translation
I am sure, as I write this, that you will do what I ask--in fact I know that you will do even more.

International Standard Version
Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you because I know that you will do even more than I ask.

Literal Standard Version
I wrote to you having been confident in your obedience, having known that you will also do above what I may say;

Majority Standard Bible
Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

New American Bible
With trust in your compliance I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

NET Bible
Since I was confident that you would obey, I wrote to you, because I knew that you would do even more than what I am asking you to do.

New Revised Standard Version
Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

New Heart English Bible
Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

Webster's Bible Translation
Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote to thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

Weymouth New Testament
I write to you in the full confidence that you will meet my wishes, for I know you will do even more than I say.

World English Bible
Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

Young's Literal Translation
having been confident in thy obedience I did write to thee, having known that also above what I may say thou wilt do;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Appeal for Onesimus
20Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. 21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask. 22In the meantime, prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.…

Cross References
Romans 2:19
if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness,

2 Corinthians 2:3
I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be saddened by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would share my joy.


Treasury of Scripture

Having confidence in your obedience I wrote to you, knowing that you will also do more than I say.

2 Corinthians 2:3
And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

2 Corinthians 7:16
I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.

2 Corinthians 8:22
And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

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Confidence Confident Desire Full Meet Obedience Wilt Wishes Write Writing Written Wrote
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Confidence Confident Desire Full Meet Obedience Wilt Wishes Write Writing Written Wrote
Philemon 1
1. Paul rejoices to hear of the faith and love of Philemon,
8. whom he desires to forgive his servant Onesimus, and lovingly to receive him again.














Philemon 1:21-25 contain the conclusion of the Epistle--hope to visit Philemon soon, salutation, and blessing.

(21) Confidence in thy obedience.--It is curious to notice how, in this conclusion, St. Paul seems to glide, as it were insensibly, out of the tone of entreaty as to an equal, into the authority of a superior. The word "obedience" is found in 2Corinthians 7:15, there in connection with "fear and trembling." He preferred to appeal to Philemon's love; he knew that in any case he could rely on his deference.

Do more than I say.--This can hardly refer to anything except the manumission of Onesimus, and possibly his being sent back again to St. Paul. Exactly in this way Christianity was to work out the release of the slave--not by command, but by free and natural inference from its emphatic declaration of his true brotherhood in Christ.

(22) A lodging.--The word often signifies "hospitality" generally, which Philemon might naturally offer in his own house, but which St. Paul would not suggest or ask.

I shall be given unto you.--Literally, as a favour from supreme authority. Comp. the technical and forensic use of the word in Acts 3:14; Acts 25:11 : for good in one case, in the other for evil. If he was so "granted," it would be by Caesar instrumentally, by God's overruling will ultimately. The passage, like Philippians 2:24, but even more definitely, expresses St. Paul's expectation of a release which might enable him to visit the East again. It is curious that there is no similar allusion in the Colossian Epistle, sent with this. . . .

Verse 21. - I wrote unto thee; write (Revised Version; see Ver. 19), or perhaps referring back, as in Ver. 19, to the request in Ver. 17. The strong, fervid, and repeated appeals of the apostle had not been caused by distrust of Philemon, nor of their own efficacy, but were the natural outcome of the strong interest he felt in the case of Onesimus, and the desire he felt to replace him in the favor of his master; partly also, perhaps, to the warmth and fervor of his natural character, which uttered itself involuntarily in forcible expressions.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Confident of
Πεποιθὼς (Pepoithōs)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3982: A primary verb; to convince; by analogy, to pacify or conciliate; reflexively or passively, to assent, to rely.

your
σου (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

obedience,
ὑπακοῇ (hypakoē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5218: Obedience, submissiveness, compliance. From hupakouo; attentive hearkening, i.e. compliance or submission.

I write
ἔγραψά (egrapsa)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1125: A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe.

to you,
σοι (soi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

knowing
εἰδὼς (eidōs)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

you will do
ποιήσεις (poiēseis)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

even
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

more
ὑπὲρ (hyper)
Preposition
Strong's 5228: Gen: in behalf of; acc: above.

than
(ha)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

I ask.
λέγω (legō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.


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NT Letters: Philemon 1:21 Having confidence in your obedience I write (Phm Phl)
Philemon 1:20
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