Philemon 1:4

Philemon 1:4. I thank my God. He has just spoken of God as the giver of Christian grace, and the memory of such grace working in Philemon's life, calls forth his instant thanksgiving. How constantly the apostle saw and acknowledged the gifts of God to the infant Church, is testified by the frequent occurrence of this eucharistic expression in all his Epistles.

always, That this word should be joined with the first clause rather than the second in this verse is made very probable from other passages where kindred language is found, and particularly Ephesians 1:16, where the phrase assumes the form, ‘I cease not to give thanks for you.'

making mention of thee in my prayers. Whether present or absent, the apostle laid not aside his ‘care of all the churches.' And here we can note that his heart was full not only of thought for congregations, but for individual members wherever their state was known to him. Those over whom he cannot watch personally, he commends ever to the better care of God.