4 And I always pray for all of you with joy.
5 I thank God for the help you gave me while I told people the Good News. You helped from the first day you believed until now.
6 I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until he completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again.
7 I know I am right to think like this about all of you because you are so close to my heart. This is because you have all played such an important part in God’s grace to me—now, during this time that I am in prison, and whenever I am defending and proving the truth of the Good News.
8 God knows that I want very much to see you. I love all of you with the love of Christ Jesus.
9 This is my prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love;
10 that you will see the difference between what is important and what is not and choose what is important; that you will be pure and blameless for the coming of Christ;