1:3 We always 1 give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 1:4 since 2 we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints. 1:5 Your faith and love have arisen 3 from the hope laid up 4 for you in heaven, which you have heard about in the message of truth, the gospel 5 1:6 that has come to you. Just as in the entire world this gospel 6 is bearing fruit and growing, so it has also been bearing fruit and growing 7 among you from the first day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth. 1:7 You learned the gospel 8 from Epaphras, our dear fellow slave 9 – a 10 faithful minister of Christ on our 11 behalf – 1:8 who also told us of your love in the Spirit.