1 Thessalonians 3

1 So when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left on our own in Athens.

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

2 We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in 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 so that none of you would be shaken by these trials. For you know that we are destined 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 Indeed, when we were with you, we kept warning you that we would suffer persecution; and as you know, it has come to pass.

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 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter had somehow tempted you and caused our labor to be 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 just now, Timothy has returned from his visit with the good news about your faith, your love, and the fond memories you have preserved, longing to see us just as we long to see 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 For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and persecution, we have been reassured about you, because of your faith.

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

8 For now we can go on living, as long as you are standing firm in the Lord.

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

9 How can we adequately thank God for you in return for our great joy over you in His presence?

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 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking from 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, 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 cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows,

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 so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.

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.