Philemon 1:3
What does Philemon 1:3 mean?
A plain-English look at Philemon 1:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Philemon 1:3 means
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” is more than polite wish; it is a prayer that God’s unearned favor and wholeness rest upon this household and church. Grace meets people in their need, and peace repairs what is broken. Both come from the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul invokes these blessings at the outset because the situation he will address requires divine resources: generosity, forgiveness, and unity that human effort alone cannot produce. He centers the conversation in God’s character and the saving work of Christ, from whom the community’s life and reconciliation must flow.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ!
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Grace to you and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Grace to you and peace fromGod our Father, and [the] Lord Jesus Christ.
Context
With the recipients named, Paul concludes the greeting with his signature blessing of grace and peace. This sets a spiritual atmosphere for the letter’s content and hints at the kind of response Paul will seek. The next section (verses 4–7) moves into thanksgiving, where Paul recalls Philemon’s love and faith. That commendation will serve as the platform for the forthcoming appeal regarding Onesimus, urging Philemon to let grace and peace govern his response.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Romans 1:7
to all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Ephesians 1:2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 13:14
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.