Philemon 1:7

1:7 I ¹  have had great joy and encouragement because ²  of your love, for the hearts ³  of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

Philemon 1:12

1:12 I have sent ⁴  him (who is my very heart) ⁵  back to you.

Philippians 1:8

1:8 For God is my witness that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:1

Christian Unity and Christ’s Humility

2:1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, ⁶  any affection or mercy, ⁷ 

Philippians 2:1

Christian Unity and Christ’s Humility

2:1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, ⁸  any affection or mercy, ⁹ 

Philippians 3:17

3:17 Be imitators of me, ¹⁰  brothers and sisters, ¹¹  and watch carefully those who are living this way, just as you have us as an example.

[1:7]  ¹ tn Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and contemporary English style.

[1:7]  ² tn The Greek preposition ἐπί (epi) is understood here in a causal sense, i.e., “because.”

[1:7]  ³ tn The word translated “hearts” here is σπλάγχνα (splancna). Literally the term refers to one’s “inward parts,” but it is commonly used figuratively for “heart” as the seat of the emotions. See BDAG 938 s.v. σπλάγχνον 2 (cf. Col 3:12, Phil 2:1).

[1:12]  ⁴ tc There are several variants at this point in the text, most of them involving the addition of προσλαβοῦ (proslabou, “receive, accept”) at various locations in the verse. But all such variants seem to be motivated by the harsh syntax of the verse without this verb. Without the verb, the meaning is that Onesimus is Paul’s “very heart,” though this is an awkward expression especially because of τουτ᾿ ἔστιν (tout’ estin, “this is, who is”) in the middle cluttering the construction. Nowhere else in the NT is σπλάγχνα (splancna, here translated “heart”) used in apposition to people. It is thus natural that scribes would want to fill out the text here, and they did so apparently with a verb that was ready at hand (borrowed from v. 17). With the verb the sentence is converted into an object-complement construction: “I have sent him back to you; accept him, that is, as my very heart.” But both the fact that some important witnesses (א* A F G 33 pc) lack the verb, and that its location floats in the various constructions that have it, suggest that the original text did not have προσλαβοῦ.

[1:12]  ⁵ tn That is, “who means a great deal to me”; Grk “whom I have sent to you, him, this one is my heart.”

[2:1]  ⁶ tn Or “spiritual fellowship” if πνεύματος (pneumato") is an attributive genitive; or “fellowship brought about by the Spirit” if πνεύματος is a genitive of source or production.

[2:1]  ⁷ tn Grk “and any affection and mercy.” The Greek idea, however, is best expressed by “or” in English.

[2:1]  ⁸ tn Or “spiritual fellowship” if πνεύματος (pneumato") is an attributive genitive; or “fellowship brought about by the Spirit” if πνεύματος is a genitive of source or production.

[2:1]  ⁹ tn Grk “and any affection and mercy.” The Greek idea, however, is best expressed by “or” in English.

[3:17]  ¹⁰ tn Or “become fellow imitators with me [of Christ].”

[3:17]  ¹¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.