1 Tesalonika 3:4-13

3:4 For in fact when we were with you, we were telling you in advance that we would suffer affliction, and so it has happened, as you well know. ¹  3:5 So ²  when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter somehow tempted you and our toil had proven useless.

3:6 But now Timothy has come ³  to us from you and given us the good news of your faith and love and that you always think of us with affection ⁴  and long to see us just as we also long to see you! ⁵  3:7 So ⁶  in all our distress and affliction, we were reassured about you, brothers and sisters, ⁷  through your faith. 3:8 For now we are alive again, ⁸  if you stand firm in the Lord. 3:9 For how can we thank God enough for you, ⁹  for all the joy we feel ¹⁰  because of you before our God? 3:10 We pray earnestly night and day to see you in person ¹¹  and make up what may be lacking in your faith.

3:11 Now may God our Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 3:12 And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we do for you, 3:13 so that your hearts are strengthened in holiness to be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. ¹² 

[3:4]  ¹ tn Grk “just as it also occurred and you know.”

[3:5]  ² tn Or “for this reason.”

[3:6]  ³ tn Grk “but now Timothy having come,” a subordinate clause leading to the main clause of v. 7.

[3:6]  ⁴ tn Grk “you have a good remembrance of us always.”

[3:6]  ⁵ tn Grk “just as also we you.”

[3:7]  ⁶ tn Or “for this reason.”

[3:7]  ⁷ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:4.

[3:8]  ⁸ tn Grk “because now we live,” in comparison with his feelings of dread in not knowing how they were doing (cf. 2:17-3:5).

[3:9]  ⁹ tn Grk “what thanks can we render to God about you.”

[3:9]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “all the joy with which we rejoice.”

[3:10]  ¹¹ tn Grk “to see your face.”

[3:13]  ¹² tc ‡ Important and early witnesses (א* A D* 81 629 lat) have ἀμήν (amhn, “amen”) at the end of this benediction, while the majority of mss, including several excellent witnesses (א² B D² F G Ψ 0278 1739 1881 Ï it sy sa), lack the particle. A decision is difficult, but in light of Paul’s habit of adding the ἀμήν to his notes of praise, even in the middle of his letters (cf. Rom 9:5; 11:36; 15:33; Gal 1:5), one might expect scribes to emulate this practice. Although a decision is difficult, it is probably best to follow the shorter reading. NA²⁷ has the particle in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.