3 1-2 After a long time, we could not be patient any longer. So we decided to send our friend Timothy to come to visit you. We ourselves would stay here in Athens. Timothy serves God with us here. He tells people the good news about Christ. We sent him to you so that he could help you to trust Christ more and more. 3 You are receiving many troubles. We did not want anyone among you to turn away from Christ because of that. You already know that we who are believers must receive troubles like that.
4 Even when we were there with you, we told you that troubles would come. We told you before the troubles came and now it has really happened. You know that it is true. 5 That is why I had to send Timothy to come to you. I could not wait to hear news about you any longer. I wanted to know whether you still trusted Christ. I was afraid that Satan had deceived you. If he had made you turn away from Christ, our work among you would have had no results.
6 But now Timothy has come back to us. And he has told us good news about you. He has told us that you continue to trust Christ and you love one another. He says that you always think about us in a good way. You want very much to meet us again, as we also want to meet you. 7 So we have become happy again because of you, our Christian friends. We continue to suffer and we have much trouble. But we are happy because you continue to trust Christ. 8 Yes, we are like people who have become alive again. We know that you are strong as you trust the Lord.
9 We thank God very much for you! You make us very happy when we talk to God about you. 10 We pray very much for you, during the day and during the night. We ask God to give us the chance to visit you again. We want to help you to understand the things that you still need to know. Then you will be able to trust Christ even more.
11 We pray that our Father God himself and our Lord Jesus will prepare the way for us. Then we will come to visit you. 12 We pray that the Lord will cause you to love people more and more. We love you very much. We pray that you will love each other and all people, as we love you. 13 Then God will cause you to become strong inside yourselves. You will live in a completely good way. One day our Lord Jesus will come back with all the people who belong to him. Then you will stand in front of God, our Father. He will say that you are not guilty of anything that is wrong.
3 We could not come to you, but it was very hard to wait any longer. So we decided to send Timothy to you and stay in Athens alone. Timothy is our brother. He works with us for God to tell people the Good News about Christ. We sent Timothy to strengthen and encourage you in your faith. 3 We sent him so that none of you would be upset by the troubles we have now. You yourselves know that we must have these troubles. 4 Even when we were with you, we told you that we would all have to suffer. And you know that it happened just as we said. 5 This is why I sent Timothy to you, so that I could know about your faith. I sent him when I could not wait anymore. I was afraid that the devil who tempts people might have defeated you with temptations. Then our hard work would have been wasted.
6 But now Timothy has come back from his visit with you and told us good news about your faith and love. He told us that you always remember us in a good way. He told us that you want very much to see us again. And it is the same with us—we want very much to see you. 7 So, brothers and sisters, we are encouraged about you because of your faith. We have much trouble and suffering, but still we are encouraged. 8 Our life is really full if you stand strong in the Lord. 9 We have so much joy before our God because of you! So we thank God for you. But we cannot thank him enough for all the joy we feel. 10 Night and day we continue praying with all our heart that we can come there and see you again. We want to give you everything you need to make your faith strong.
11 We pray that our God and Father and our Lord Jesus will prepare the way for us to come to you. 12 We pray that the Lord will make your love grow. We pray that he will give you more and more love for each other and for all people. We pray that you will love everyone in the same way we love you. 13 This will strengthen your desire to do what is right, and you will be holy and without fault before our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy people.
3 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:
3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
6 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:
7 Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:
8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;
10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.
12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
3 Therefore, ( A ) when we could no longer endure it , we thought it best to be left behind, alone at ( B ) Athens, 2 and we sent ( C ) Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the benefit of your faith, 3 so that no one would be [ a ] disturbed by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that ( D ) we have been destined for this. 4 For even when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; [ b ] ( E ) and so it happened, [ c ] as you know. 5 For this reason, ( F ) when I could no longer endure it , I also ( G ) sent to [ d ] find out about your faith, for fear that ( H ) the tempter might have tempted you, and ( I ) our labor would be for nothing.
6 But now that ( J ) Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of ( K ) your faith and love, and that you always ( L ) think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, 7 for this reason, brothers and sisters , in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; 8 for now we really live, if you ( M ) stand firm in the Lord. 9 For ( N ) what thanks can we give to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice because of you before our God, 10 as we ( O ) keep praying most earnestly night and day that we may ( P ) see your faces, and may ( Q ) complete what is lacking in your faith?
11 ( R ) Now may ( S ) our God and Father ( T ) Himself, and our Lord Jesus, ( U ) direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and ( V ) overflow in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may ( W ) establish your hearts ( X ) blameless in holiness before ( Y ) our God and Father at the [ e ] ( Z ) coming of our Lord Jesus ( AA ) with all His [ f ] saints.
3 So when we could stand it no longer, ( A ) we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. ( B ) 2 We sent Timothy, ( C ) who is our brother and co-worker ( D ) in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, ( E ) to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. ( F ) For you know quite well that we are destined for them. ( G ) 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. ( H ) 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, ( I ) I sent to find out about your faith. ( J ) I was afraid that in some way the tempter ( K ) had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain. ( L )
6 But Timothy ( M ) has just now come to us from you ( N ) and has brought good news about your faith and love. ( O ) He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. ( P ) 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm ( Q ) in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you ( R ) in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? ( S ) 10 Night and day we pray ( T ) most earnestly that we may see you again ( U ) and supply what is lacking in your faith.
11 Now may our God and Father ( V ) himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other ( W ) and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless ( X ) and holy in the presence of our God and Father ( Y ) when our Lord Jesus comes ( Z ) with all his holy ones. ( AA )
