³ I thank my God whenever I remember you, ⁴ always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy, ⁵ for your partnership^[a] in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now; ⁶ being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. ⁷ It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace. ⁸ For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.

⁹ This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ, ¹¹ being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.