Thanksgiving and Prayer

I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you,[a] always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day(A) until now.(B) I am sure of this, that he who started a good work(C) in you[b] will carry it on to completion(D) until the day of Christ Jesus. Indeed, it is right(E) for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart,[c] and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment(F) and in the defense(G) and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness,(H) how deeply I miss all of you(I) with the affection of Christ Jesus. And I pray this: that your love(J) will keep on growing(K) in knowledge and every kind of discernment,(L) 10 so that you may approve the things that are superior(M) and may be pure(N) and blameless(O) in the day of Christ,(P) 11 filled with the fruit(Q) of righteousness(R) that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory(S) and praise of God.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:3 Or for your every remembrance of me
  2. 1:6 Or work among you
  3. 1:7 Or because you have me in your heart

Thanksgiving and prayer

I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus. I have good reason to think this way about all of you because I keep you in my heart. You are all my partners in God’s grace, both during my time in prison and in the defense and support of the gospel. God is my witness that I feel affection for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.

This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. 10 I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. 11 I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God.

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