Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 We always give thanks to [fn]the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and [fn]your love for all the saints, 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope that is laid up for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the message of the truth of the gospel 6 that has come to you. This gospel has gone out into all the world, where it is bearing fruit [fn]and increasing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on [fn]your behalf 8 and who also told us about your love in the Spirit.