Encouragement of Timothy’s Visit

3 Therefore, ^(A)when we could no longer endure it, we thought it best to be left behind, alone at ^(B)Athens, ² and we sent ^(C)Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the benefit of your faith, ³ so that no one would be ^[a]disturbed by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that ^(D)we have been destined for this. ⁴ For even when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; ^[b](E)and so it happened, ^[c]as you know. ⁵ For this reason, ^(F)when I could no longer endure it, I also ^(G)sent to ^[d]find out about your faith, for fear that ^(H)the tempter might have tempted you, and ^(I)our labor would be for nothing.