Philemon 1:7 (KJV)

Passage

For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

Nearby Context

Philemon 1:5 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;

Philemon 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Philemon 1:7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

Philemon 1:8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,

Philemon 1:9 Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "That the communication of thy faith may..." into verse 8's "Wherefore though I might be much bold...", so "great" and "consolation" 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 "great" and "consolation" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.