1 Thessalonians 3

1 Therefore when we couldn’t stand it any longer, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone,

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

2 and sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant in the Good News of Christ, to establish you and to comfort you concerning 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 that no one would be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task.

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 most certainly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you 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 For this cause I also, when I couldn’t stand it any longer, sent that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would have been 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 Timothy has just now 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, even as we also 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 cause, brothers, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith.

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

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

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

9 For what thanksgiving can we render again to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes 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 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and may perfect that which is lacking in 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 May the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all men, even as we also do 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 to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

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.