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],

And, because we could no longer endure it, we were willing to be left alone at Athens,

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 to send to you Timothy our brother, a servant of God, and our assistant in the announcement of the Messiah; that he might strengthen you, and inquire of you respecting 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].

lest any of you should be disheartened by these afflictions; for ye know, that we are appointed thereto.

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 also when we were with you, we forewarned you, that we were to be afflicted; as ye know did occur.

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]).

Therefore also I could not be quiet, until I sent to learn your faith; lest the Tempter should have tempted you, and our labor have been in vain.

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, since Timothy hath come to us from among you, and hath informed us respecting your faith and your love, and that ye have a good remembrance of us at all times, and that ye desire to see us, even as we 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].

therefore we are comforted in you, my brethren, amid all our straits and afflictions, on account of your faith.

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

And now, we live, if ye stand fast in our 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!

For what thanks can we render to God in your behalf, for all the joy with which we are joyful on your account;

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!

unless it be, that we the more supplicate before God, by night and by day, that we may see your faces, and may perfect what is 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.

And may God our Father, and our Lord Jesus the Messiah, direct our way unto 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 increase and enlarge your love towards one another, and towards all men, even as we love 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.

and establish your hearts unblamable in holiness, before God our Father; at the advent of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, with all his saints.