Listening to Two Voices Part 2: Philemon 6

Here is the updated change to the new NIV (2011) concerning Philemon 6. The accompanying explaining is from the document "Updating the New International Version of the Bible: Notes from the Committee on Bible Translation."


1984: ‟I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding
of every good thing we have in Christ.”


Updated NIV: ‟I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening
your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.”

"Paul loves to praise his addressees for qualities that he describes with a pair of nouns, the second being a subjective genitive. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 offers a classic example, in which ‟your work of faith, labor of love and endurance of hope” means ‟your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope.” That is probably what Paul is doing here, too, as he praises Philemon’s ‟fellowship [koinōnia] of faith.” In a little letter in which Paul is the one who has evangelized Onesimus (v. 10) but Philemon is known for refreshing the hearts of the Lord’s people (v.7), it is much more likely that Paul is praying for this spirit of concern to enable Philemon to welcome Onesimus back home and not punish him, rather than praying for Philemon to become an outgoing evangelist."