Philemon 1:3
“Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Paul pronounces his customary blessing of grace and peace upon his readers, sourced in God the Father and the Lord Jesus.
What Does Philemon 1:3 Mean?
This is Paul's familiar greeting, found at the head of his letters. Grace was a common word of salutation, peace the traditional Hebrew blessing; together they are filled with new meaning. Both flow, Paul says, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ named together.
Grace comes first because it is the wellspring; peace follows as its fruit. The unmerited favor of God produces a settled wholeness of life. Even a short personal letter begins by lifting the reader's eyes to the true source of every good thing. Whatever the matter at hand, Paul wants his friend grounded first in what God freely gives.