1 Thessalonians 3

1 Therefore, when we could not stand it any longer, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone,

As a result of that, when I could no longer endure [worrying about you], I decided that [Silas and I] would stay behind alone in Athens [city],

2 and sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the Good News of Meshikha, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith;

and we two sent Timothy [to you. You know that he is] our close associate and also works for God by [proclaiming] the message about Christ. [Silas and I sent him] in order that he would urge you to continue to strongly trust [in Christ].

3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task.

We wanted none [of you] to consider turning away from Christ as a result of [people] causing you to suffer. You know that [God has] planned that [we who trust in him will suffer like that when people do that to us who trust in him].

4 For truly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know.

Remember that when we were present with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted {that [people] would cause us to suffer}. And because that is what happened, you know that [what we said] was true!

5 For this cause I also, when I could not stand it any longer, sent that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain.

[I was] afraid that [Satan], the one who tempts us, had caused you [to stop trusting in Christ. If that had happened], we would have worked uselessly [while we were present with you! So] I sent [Timothy to you] in order to find out whether or not you were [still] trusting [in Christ]. I sent him because I could no longer endure [not knowing (about your spiritual condition/whether or not you were still trusting in Christ]).

6 But when Timothy came just now to us from you, and brought us glad news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us always, longing to see us, even as we also long to see you;

Now Timothy has just returned to Silas and me from [being with] you, and he has told us the good news that you [still] trust [in Christ] and that you love [him] (OR, [each other]). He told us also that you always happily remember us [and that] you strongly desire that we visit you, just like we strongly desire to visit you.

7 for this cause, brothers, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith.

My fellow believers, [even though] we are suffering very much [DOU] because of what people are doing to us here, we have been cheered up because [Timothy told us about] your [still] trusting [in Christ].

8 For now we live, since you stand firm in the Lord.

Now we feel very encouraged [IDM] that you continue to strongly [trust] in the Lord [Jesus].

9 For what thanksgiving can we render again to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God;

(We cannot thank God adequately for [what he has done for] you!/How can we thank God enough for [what he has done for] you?) [RHQ] We greatly rejoice concerning you [when we pray to] our God!

10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

We constantly [HYP] and fervently/earnestly ask [God] that [we will be able] to visit you [SYN] and that [we will be able] to help you to trust [in Christ/God] more strongly!

11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Yeshua, direct our way to you;

We pray to God, our Father, and to our Lord Jesus, that they will (clear the way/make it possible) so that we can return to you.

12 and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all, even as we also do toward you,

As for you, we pray that the Lord Jesus will help you to love each other and other people more and more, just like we continue loving you more and more.

13 to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Yeshua with all his saints.

We pray that our Lord Jesus will strengthen your resolve to do what pleases God (OR, strengthen you spiritually). We pray that God our Father will enable you to conduct your lives in a way that is pure and that no one can justly criticize, so that when Jesus comes back to earth accompanied by all those who belong to him, he will be pleased with you.