and I pray that the sharing of your faith may promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ.

ὅπως ἡ κοινωνία τῆς πίστεώς σου ἐνεργὴς γένηται ἐν ἐπιγνώσει παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ τοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν εἰς Χριστόν.

Early Fathers

John Chrysostom (349-407)

Homilies on Philemon

I pray, he says, that the communication of your faith may become effectual in the knowledge of every good thing which is in Christ Jesus. Do you see him first giving, before he receives, and before he asks a favor himself bestowing a much greater one of his own? That the communication of your faith, he says, may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus; that is, that you may attain all virtue, that nothing may be deficient. For so faith becomes effectual, when it is accompanied with works. For without works faith is dead. James 2:26 And he has not said, Your faith, but the communication of your faith, connecting it with himself, and showing that it is one body, and by this particularly making him ashamed to refuse. If you are a partaker, he says, with respect to the faith, you ought to communicate also with respect to other things.

[For moral, see Phm 1:16]

Later Commentaries

George Leo Haydock (1774-1849)

Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary: Philemon

That the communication. That is, charitable contributions, done with a lively faith, may become evident, and the good works known, which are in you; that is, done among you. This seems the sense of the following verse, where S. Paul expresseth his joy in hearing of Philemon's charity towards the saints. Wi.