Philemon 1:21 (YLT)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Philemon 1:19 I, Paul did write with my hand, I--I will repay; that I may not say that also thyself, besides, to me thou dost owe.

Philemon 1:20 Yes, brother, may I have profit of thee in the Lord; refresh my bowels in the Lord;

Philemon 1:21 having been confident in thy obedience I did write to thee, having known that also above what I may say thou wilt do;

Philemon 1:22 and at the same time also prepare for me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.

Philemon 1:23 Salute thee doth Epaphras, (my fellow-captive in Christ Jesus,)

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "having", "been", "confident", "obedience", "write", "thee", and "known". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "having" and "been", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "Yes brother may I have profit of..." into verse 22's "and at the same time also prepare...", so "having" and "been" 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 "having" and "been" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.