1For this reason, enduring no longer, we thought good to be left in Athens alone,
2and sent Timotheus—our brother, and a servant of God, and our fellow-workman in the good news of the Christ—to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith,
3that no one be moved in these tribulations, for you have known that we are set for this,
4for even when we were with you, we said to you beforehand that we are about to suffer tribulation, as it also came to pass, and you have known [it];
5because of this also, I, no longer enduring, sent to know your faith, lest he who is tempting tempted you, and our labor might be in vain. 6And Timotheus now having come to us from you, and having declared good news to us of your faith and love, and that you always have a good remembrance of us, desiring much to see us, as we also [to see] you, 7because of this we were comforted, brothers, over you, in all our tribulation and necessity, through your faith, 8because now we live, if you may stand fast in the LORD. 9For what thanks are we able to repay to God for you, for all the joy with which we delight because of you in the presence of our God, 10exceedingly imploring night and day, that we might see your face, and perfect the things lacking in your faith? 11And our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you, 12and the LORD cause you to increase and to abound in the love to one another, and to all, even as we also to you, 13in order to have established your hearts, blameless in sanctification before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His holy ones. |