1 Thessalonians 3

1 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],

So when we could not stand it any longer, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone

2 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].

and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, also our fellow worker in the Gospel of Christ, to confirm you and encourage you concerning your faith,

3 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].

that no one be unsettled by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.

4 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!

For indeed, when we were with you we kept telling you in advance that we were going to be afflicted; just as it happened, in fact, as you know.

5 [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]).

Yes, that is why, no longer standing it, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had successfully tempted you and our labor come to be for nothing.

6 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.

But now that Timothy has come to us from you and brought us glad news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us always, longing to see us, just as we also long to see you

7 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].

—because of this, brothers, in all our affliction and distress we were encouraged about you by your faith;

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

for now we live, if you are standing firm in the Lord.

9 (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!

With what thankfulness can we repay God for you, for all the joy with which we are rejoicing in the presence of our God because of you;

10 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!

praying most earnestly night and day, that we may see your face and complete the things lacking in your faith?

11 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.

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

12 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.

And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love toward each other and toward all, just as we also do toward you,

13 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.

so as to establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His holy ones.