Philemon 1:7

7 Your love has given me great joy. It has cheered me up. My brother, you have renewed the hearts of God's people.

Philemon 1:7 Meaning and Commentary

Philemon 1:7

For we have great joy and consolation in thy love
In the expressions and acts of it to the poor saints; for which reason the apostle gives thanks for it before; and it is a pleasure and comfort to an ingenuous mind, though it is not in his power to do good to the poor saints himself, to see that others have both abilities, and a heart to relieve them:

because the bowels of the saints are, refreshed by thee, brother;
meaning, not only that their bellies were filled with food, for the phrase is used in ( Philemon 1:20 ) where that cannot be intended; but their hearts were filled with gladness, the load upon their spirits, the pressures upon their minds were removed, and they had an inward pleasure in their souls, and rest, refreshment, and comfort, through the liberal communications of Philemon to them; who did what he did cheerfully, that so it did their souls good, as well as their bodies; and in doing which, he acted the part of a brother in Christ.

Philemon 1:7 In-Context

5 That's because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus. I hear about your love for all of God's people.

6 I pray that you will be active in sharing what you believe. Then you will completely understand every good thing we have in Christ.

7 Your love has given me great joy. It has cheered me up. My brother, you have renewed the hearts of God's people.

8 Because of the authority Christ has given me, I could be bold. I could order you to do what you should do anyway.

9 But I make my appeal to you on the basis of our love for each other. I, Paul, am an old man. I am now also a prisoner because of Christ Jesus.