Philemon 1:21 (DRB)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Philemon 1:19 I Paul have written it with my own hand: I will repay it: not to say to thee that thou owest me thy own self also.

Philemon 1:20 Yea, brother. May I enjoy thee in the Lord! Refresh my bowels in the Lord.

Philemon 1:21 Trusting in thy obedience, I have written to thee: knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

Philemon 1:22 But withal prepare me also a lodging. For I hope that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.

Philemon 1:23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "trusting", "obedience", "written", "thee", "knowing", "thou", "wilt", and "than". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "trusting" and "obedience", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "Yea brother May I enjoy thee in..." into verse 22's "But withal prepare me also a lodging...", so "trusting" and "obedience" belong inside that flow. In Philemon context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "trusting" and "obedience" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.