Therefore, when we could bear it no longer, we thought it best to stay behind in Athens by ourselves,
and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the good news of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you concerning your trust,
so that no one is shaken by these afflictions, because you know that we are destined for this.
For even when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction, and as you know, it came to pass.
For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to learn about your trust, for fear that somehow the Tempter had tempted you and our labor would have been in vain.
Timothy's Encouraging Report
But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought us good news about your trust and love, and that you always remember us with affection, longing to see us, just as we also long to see you.
Because of this, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and affliction we have been encouraged about you because of your trust.
For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
For how can we give thanks to God for you in return for all of our joy and rejoicing before our God because of you?
Night and day we keep praying most earnestly for an opportunity to see your face and to supply what is lacking in your trust.
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus guide our way to you,
and may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow in love for one another and for all people, just as we also do for you,
so that your hearts will be strengthened in order to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.