5. I thank God for the help you gave me while I preached the Good News—help you gave from the first day you believed until now.
6. God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again.
7. And I know that I am right to think like this about all of you, because I have you in my heart. All of you share in God’s grace with me while I am in prison and while I am defending and proving the truth of the Good News.
8. God knows that I want to see you very much, because 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 good and bad and will choose the good; that you will be pure and without wrong for the coming of Christ;
11. that you will be filled with the good things produced in your life by Christ to bring glory and praise to God.
12. I want you brothers and sisters to know that what has happened to me has helped to spread the Good News.