Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We always thank God,^(A) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love^(B) you have for all God’s people^(C)— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope^(D) stored up for you in heaven^(E) and about which you have already heard in the true message^(F) of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit^(G) and growing throughout the whole world^(H)—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras,^(I) our dear fellow servant,^[a] who is a faithful minister^(J) of Christ on our^[b] behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.^(K)