1 Thessalonians 3

Worldwide English (New Testament)

3 We felt we could not wait any longer. So we thought it best to stay at the city of Athens alone.

²And we sent our brother Timothy to you. He works for God by telling the good news about Christ. We sent him to help you be strong and to encourage you in what you believe.

³We do not want anyone to give up because of the trouble. You yourselves know that we all will surely have trouble.

⁴When we were with you, we told you that we would have trouble. Trouble came. And now you know what we said is true.

⁵That is why I could not wait any longer. I sent Timothy to find out if you were still believing. I was afraid that Satan had tried you too much. Then our work would have been for nothing.

⁶But now Timothy has come back to us from you. He has brought us the good news that you are still believing and have love in your hearts. He has told us that you always remember us. He also told us that you want to see us, just as we want to see you.

⁷My brothers, the way you believe has comforted us in all our troubles.

⁸It gives us new life now to know that you are standing strong in the Lord.

⁹We cannot thank God enough for you. We are very happy about you as we talk to God.

¹⁰Night and day we ask God that we may see you face to face. We want to help you know more about what you believe.

¹¹Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, open the way for us to come to you.

¹²May the Lord make you stronger in your love for each other. Love others in the way we love you.

¹³We want the Lord to help you to stand strong. And then, when the Lord Jesus comes with all God's people, you will be holy in the eyes of our God and Father. He will see no fault in you.

1 Thessalonians 3

English Standard Version

3 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing ^(A)to be left behind at Athens alone, ²and we ^(B)sent Timothy, ^(C)our brother and God's coworker^[a] in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, ³that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that ^(D)we are destined for this. ⁴For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, ^(E)just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. ⁵For this reason, ^(F)when I could bear it no longer, ^(G)I sent to learn about your faith, ^(H)for fear that somehow ^(I)the tempter had tempted you and ^(J)our labor would be in vain.

Timothy's Encouraging Report

⁶But ^(K)now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of ^(L)your faith and love and reported ^(M)that you always remember us kindly and ^(N)long to see us, as we long to see you— ⁷for this reason, brothers,^[b] in all our distress and affliction ^(O)we have been comforted about you through your faith. ⁸For now we live, if you ^(P)are standing fast in the Lord. ⁹For ^(Q)what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, ¹⁰as we pray most earnestly ^(R)night and day ^(S)that we may see you face to face and ^(T)supply what is lacking in your faith?

¹¹Now may ^(U)our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, ^(V)direct our way to you, ¹²and may the Lord ^(W)make you increase and abound in love ^(X)for one another and for all, as we do for you, ¹³so that he may ^(Y)establish your hearts blameless in holiness before ^(Z)our God and Father, at ^(AA)the coming of our Lord Jesus ^(AB)with all his saints.

Footnotes

1 Thessalonians 3:2 Some manuscripts servant
1 Thessalonians 3:7 Or brothers and sisters

1 Thessalonians 3

New King James Version

Concern for Their Faith

3 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, ²and sent ^(A)Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, ³^(B)that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that ^(C)we are appointed to this. ⁴^(D)For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. ⁵For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, ^(E)lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and ^(F)our labor might be in vain.

Encouraged by Timothy

⁶^(G)But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, ^(H)as we also to see you— ⁷therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress ^(I)we were comforted concerning you by your faith. ⁸For now we live, if you ^(J)stand fast in the Lord.

⁹For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, ¹⁰night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face ^(K)and perfect what is lacking in your faith?

Prayer for the Church

¹¹Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(L)direct our way to you. ¹²And may the Lord make you increase and ^(M)abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, ¹³so that He may establish ^(N)your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

1 Thessalonians 3

New International Version

3 So when we could stand it no longer,^(A) we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.^(B) ²We sent Timothy,^(C) who is our brother and co-worker^(D) in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ,^(E) to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, ³so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.^(F) For you know quite well that we are destined for them.^(G) ⁴In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.^(H) ⁵For this reason, when I could stand it no longer,^(I) I sent to find out about your faith.^(J) I was afraid that in some way the tempter^(K) had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.^(L)

Timothy’s Encouraging Report

⁶But Timothy^(M) has just now come to us from you^(N) and has brought good news about your faith and love.^(O) He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.^(P) ⁷Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. ⁸For now we really live, since you are standing firm^(Q) in the Lord. ⁹How can we thank God enough for you^(R) in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?^(S) ¹⁰Night and day we pray^(T) most earnestly that we may see you again^(U) and supply what is lacking in your faith.

¹¹Now may our God and Father^(V) himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. ¹²May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other^(W) and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. ¹³May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless^(X) and holy in the presence of our God and Father^(Y) when our Lord Jesus comes^(Z) with all his holy ones.^(AA)

Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

English Standard Version (ESV)

New King James Version (NKJV)

New International Version (NIV)

1 Thessalonians 3

Worldwide English (New Testament)