1:3 Grace to you and peace. Each of Paul’s letters begins with a reference to these two blessings from God. “Grace” translates the Greek charis, which means “an undeserved act of kindness.” Paul uses this word more often than any other New Testament writer and gives it immense theological significance. It refers to all that God has given us in Christ, nothing of which we have earned or can repay. “Peace” refers to the relationship that Christ’s death and resurrection (1:4) have established with God for those who believe the gospel. For Paul’s own comments on the meaning of these two terms, see Rom. 5:1, 2.