Colossians 1:6

In all the world (en panti twi kosmwi). A legitimate hyperbole, for the gospel was spreading all over the Roman Empire. Is bearing fruit (estin karpoporoumenon). Periphrastic present middle indicative of the old compound karpoporew, from karpoporo ( Acts 14:17 ) and that from karpo and perw. The periphrastic present emphasizes the continuity of the process. See the active participle karpoporounte in verse Acts 10 . Increasing (auxanomenon). Periphrastic present middle of auxanw. Repeated in verse Acts 10 . The growing and the fruit-bearing go on simultaneously as always with Christians (inward growth and outward expression). Ye heard and knew (hkousate kai epegnwte). Definite aorist indicative. They heard the gospel from Epaphras and at once recognized and accepted (ingressive second aorist active of epiginwskw, to know fully or in addition). They fully apprehended the grace of God and should be immune to the shallow vagaries of the Gnostics.