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;
11 that your life will be full of the many good works that are produced by Jesus Christ to bring glory and praise to God.
12 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that all that has happened to me has helped to spread the Good News.
13 All the Roman guards and all the others here know that I am in prison for serving Christ.