1 ³ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 1 ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have for all the saints, 1 ⁵ because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel 1 ⁶ which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing - so among yourselves, from the day you heard and understood the grace of God in truth, 1 ⁷ as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf 1 ⁸ and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.