4. We thank him because we have heard about the faith you have in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all of God’s people.
5. Your faith and love continue because you know what is waiting for you in heaven—the hope you have had since you first heard the true message, the Good News
6. that was told to you. Throughout the world, this Good News is bringing blessings and is spreading. And that’s what has been happening among you since the first time you heard it and understood the truth about God’s grace.
7. You heard it from Epaphras, our dear friend and co-worker. He is a faithful servant of Christ for us.
8. He also told us about the love you have from the Spirit.
9. Since the day we heard these things about you, we have continued praying for you. This is what we pray: that God will make you completely sure of what he wants by giving you all the wisdom and spiritual understanding you need;
10. that this will help you live in a way that brings honor to the Lord and pleases him in every way; that your life will produce good works of every kind and that you will grow in your knowledge of God;
11. that God will strengthen you with his own great power, so that you will be patient and not give up when troubles come. Then you will be happy
12. and give thanks to the Father. He has made you able to have what he has promised to give all his holy people, who live in the light.
13. God made us free from the power of darkness. And he brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son.
14. The Son paid the price to make us free. In him we have forgiveness of our sins.
15. No one can see God, but the Son is exactly like God. He rules over everything that has been made.