Philemon 1:5

hearing of thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

As testified by the ASV margin, the alternate reading of this verse is "the love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints." Of course, as may have been expected, the preferred reading by the translators was designed to favor their usual understanding of the meaning of faith. The meaning of "faith" in this place is fidelity or faithfulness, a quality which is to be manifested first "toward the Lord Jesus" (vertically), and then "toward all the saints" (horizontally). Nielson said, "This sequence is especially significant because there is no proper human relationship unless there is first a right relationship with God."[16] To get around this obvious meaning, it is claimed that Paul here mixed up his words in a figure of speech called "chiasm"; and thus getting rid of what he said here, they rewrite the verse making it speak of "faith in Christ" and "love toward the saints." As even Lenski admitted, "The phrases are not arranged as a chiasm."[17]

Hearing of thy love, and of the faith ... A similar expression in Colossians 1:4 is made an excuse for affirming that Paul had never been to Colossae; but here the same thing is said of one whom Paul knew personally and had even converted. It is likewise true that the same is probably the case with the Colossians.

[16] John B. Nielson, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. IX (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1965), p. 703.

[17] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 955.