1 ³ In all our prayers to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we thank him for you, 1 ⁴ because we have heard of the faith you hold in Christ Jesus, and the love you bear towards all God's people. 1 ⁵ Both spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven—that hope of which you learned when the message of the true Gospel first came to you. 1 ⁶ In the same way it is coming to men the whole world over; everywhere it is growing and bearing fruit as it does among you, and has done since the day when you heard of the graciousness of God and recognized it for what in truth it is. 1 ⁷ You were taught this by Epaphras, our dear fellow-servant, a trusted worker for Christ on our Some witnesses read: your. behalf, 1 ⁸ and it is he who has brought us the news of your God-given love. Or: your love within the fellowship of the Spirit.