Colossians 1:1-9 (Part 1)

3. We give thanks to God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
   always praying concerning you,
4. having heard
   of your faith in Christ Jesus,
   and of the love which you have towards all the saints,
   because of the hope laid up for you in heaven,
5. of which you have heard before
   in the word of truth, the gospel,
6. which has come to you
   even as [it is] in the world
   bearing fruit
   and growing
   even as [it does] among you
   since the day you heard and came to recognize
   the grace of God in truth;
7. even as you learned from Epaphras.
   our beloved fellow-slave,
   who is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf
8. and who has told us of your love in the Spirit
9. Because of this, we also, since the day we heard,
   have not ceased praying for you
   asking...