3 1 So when we could bear it no longer, we chose to stay behind in Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker of our Father in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For indeed, when we were with you, we kept warning you that we would suffer affliction — and it happened, just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, fearing that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love, and that you always remember us kindly, longing to see us just as we long to see you 7 —for this reason, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and affliction we found comfort in you through your faith, 8 for now we live, if you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 For what thanks can we give to our Father for you, for all the joy that we feel before our Father because of you, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
11 Now may our Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord cause you to grow and overflow with love for one another and for all, just as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts holy and blameless before our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. a a v13 'His holy ones' may refer to angels, to believers who have already died, or to both.