⁹ And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

¹² And may the Lord make you increase and ^(A)abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,

Preeminence of Christ

^9 (A)For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask ^(B)that you may be filled with ^(C)the knowledge of His will ^(D)in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Fruitful Growth in the Faith

⁵ But also for this very reason, ^(A)giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue ^(B)knowledge, ⁶ to knowledge self-control, to self-control ^[a]perseverance, to perseverance godliness,

⁶ that the sharing of your faith may become effective ^(A)by the acknowledgment of ^(B)every good thing which is in ^[a]you in Christ Jesus.

¹⁰ and have put on the new man who ^(A)is renewed in knowledge ^(B)according to the image of Him who ^(C)created him,

⁷ But as ^(A)you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see ^(B)that you abound in this grace also.

The Enduring Word

²² Since you ^(A)have purified your souls in obeying the truth ^[a]through the Spirit in ^[b]sincere ^(B)love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

A Brotherly and Orderly Life

⁹ But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for ^(A)you yourselves are taught by God ^(B)to love one another; ¹⁰ and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, ^(C)that you increase more and more;