1 Thessalonians 3

1 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;

As a result of that, when I could no longer endure [worrying about you], I decided that [Silas and I] would stay behind alone in Athens [city],

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:

and we two sent Timothy [to you. You know that he is] our close associate and also works for God by [proclaiming] the message about Christ. [Silas and I sent him] in order that he would urge you to continue to strongly trust [in Christ].

3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

We wanted none [of you] to consider turning away from Christ as a result of [people] causing you to suffer. You know that [God has] planned that [we who trust in him will suffer like that when people do that to us who trust in him].

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.

Remember that when we were present with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted {that [people] would cause us to suffer}. And because that is what happened, you know that [what we said] was true!

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.

[I was] afraid that [Satan], the one who tempts us, had caused you [to stop trusting in Christ. If that had happened], we would have worked uselessly [while we were present with you! So] I sent [Timothy to you] in order to find out whether or not you were [still] trusting [in Christ]. I sent him because I could no longer endure [not knowing (about your spiritual condition/whether or not you were still trusting in Christ]).

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:

Now Timothy has just returned to Silas and me from [being with] you, and he has told us the good news that you [still] trust [in Christ] and that you love [him] (OR, [each other]). He told us also that you always happily remember us [and that] you strongly desire that we visit you, just like we strongly desire to visit you.

7 Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:

My fellow believers, [even though] we are suffering very much [DOU] because of what people are doing to us here, we have been cheered up because [Timothy told us about] your [still] trusting [in Christ].

8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

Now we feel very encouraged [IDM] that you continue to strongly [trust] in the Lord [Jesus].

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;

(We cannot thank God adequately for [what he has done for] you!/How can we thank God enough for [what he has done for] you?) [RHQ] We greatly rejoice concerning you [when we pray to] our God!

10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

We constantly [HYP] and fervently/earnestly ask [God] that [we will be able] to visit you [SYN] and that [we will be able] to help you to trust [in Christ/God] more strongly!

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

We pray to God, our Father, and to our Lord Jesus, that they will (clear the way/make it possible) so that we can return to 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:

As for you, we pray that the Lord Jesus will help you to love each other and other people more and more, just like we continue loving you more and more.

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.

We pray that our Lord Jesus will strengthen your resolve to do what pleases God (OR, strengthen you spiritually). We pray that God our Father will enable you to conduct your lives in a way that is pure and that no one can justly criticize, so that when Jesus comes back to earth accompanied by all those who belong to him, he will be pleased with you.