Philemon 1:20 (KJV)

Passage

Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.

Nearby Context

Philemon 1:18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;

Philemon 1:19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

Philemon 1:20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.

Philemon 1:21 Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

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

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "brother", "thee", "lord", "refresh", and "bowels". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "brother" and "thee", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "I Paul have written it with mine..." into verse 21's "Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote...", so "brother" and "thee" 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 "brother" and "thee" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.