1 Thessalonians 3

1 Therefore, no longer covering over it, we preferred to be left behind in Athens alone.

Therefore, when we could bear it no longer, we thought it best to stay in Athens alone,

2 And we sent Timothy, our brother, and a helper of God, and our fellow workman in the good news of the Christ, in order to establish you and to encourage you about your faith,

and we sent Timothy, our brother, who is a servant of God and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you in your faith,

3 for no man to be disturbed by these afflictions. For ye yourselves know that we are set for this.

so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we have been appointed to afflictions such as these.

4 For also when we were with you we foretold you that we were going to be oppressed, just as it also happened, and ye know.

In fact, when we were with you, we told you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction, and as you well know, it has now happened.

5 Because of this, I too, no longer covering over it, sent in order to know your faith, lest somehow he who tempts was tempting you, and our labor became in vain.

For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out about your faith, lest somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor had been in vain.

6 But now of Timothy, having come to us from you, and having proclaimed good news to us of your faith and love, and that ye always have a good recollection of us, longing to see us, just as we also you,

But Timothy has now come back to us from you and has brought us good news of your faith and love. He reports that you always think of us with affection, longing to see us, just as we also long to see you.

7 because of this, brothers, we were encouraged toward you in all our affliction and necessity through your faith.

Therefore, brothers, in all our affliction and distress, we were encouraged about you because of your faith.

8 Because now we live, if ye stand firm in the Lord.

For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

9 For what thanks can we repay God about you, for all the joy in which we rejoiced because of you before our God,

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?

10 praying night and day above extraordinary in order to see your face and to mend the deficiencies of your faith?

Night and day we pray earnestly that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith.

11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you.

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way to you.

12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love toward each other, and toward all men, just as also we toward you,

May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in your love for one another and for all, just as we abound in our love for you.

13 in order to establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his sanctified.

And may he strengthen your hearts to be blameless in holiness in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints.