We give thanks to God always for you all
For all the members of this church, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor,
greater or lesser believers, officers or private Christians; for
their being a church, for the gifts bestowed on them, for the
graces hereafter mentioned that were wrought in them and
exercised by them; the glory of all which is given to God, and
thanks for the same, which shows them to be gifts of his, and not
in the least owing to any merits of men: the apostle ascribes
nothing to their free will, previous dispositions and
qualifications, diligence and industry; nor does he attribute
anything to himself and to his companions, who were only
ministers by whom these believed; but he refers all to God, to
his grace and goodness: and he returned thanks to him for it, and
that "always"; whenever he thought of it, made mention of it, or
was at the throne of grace, as follows,
making mention of you in our prayers;
to God, daily, both in private and in public, at which times
thanksgivings to God were made on their account; for thanksgiving
is a part of prayer, and requests are always to be made known
unto God with thanksgiving. The Ethiopic version renders this
clause in the singular number, "and I am mindful of you always in
my prayer"; and leaves out the word "all" in the former clause.