1Therefore, when we could bear it no longer, we thought it best to stay in Athens alone,

2and we sent Timothy, our brother, who is ⁸a servant of God and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you in your faith,

3so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we have been appointed to afflictions such as these.

4In 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.

5For 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.

Timothy's Encouraging Report

6But 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.

7Therefore, brothers, in all our ⁹affliction and distress, we were encouraged about you because of your faith.

8For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?

10Night and day we pray earnestly that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith.

11Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus ¹⁰Christ direct our way to you.

12May 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.

13And may he strengthen your hearts to be blameless in holiness in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus ¹¹Christ comes with all his ¹²saints.