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Encouragement of Timothy's Visit

¹ Therefore, ^(C1)when we could no longer endure it, we thought it best to be left behind, alone at ^(C2)Athens,² and we sent ^(C1)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 ^(F1)disturbed by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that ^(C1)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; ^(F1)(C1)and so it happened, ^(F2)as you know.⁵ For this reason, ^(C1)when I could no longer endure it, I also ^(C2)sent to ^(F1)find out about your faith, for fear that ^(C3)the tempter might have tempted you, and ^(C4)our labor would be for nothing.

⁶ But now that ^(C1)Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of ^(C2)your faith and love, and that you always ^(C3)think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you,⁷ for this reason, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;⁸ for now we really live, if you ^(C1)stand firm in the Lord.⁹ For ^(C1)what thanks can we give to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice because of you before our God,¹⁰ as we ^(C1)keep praying most earnestly night and day that we may ^(C2)see your faces, and may ^(C3)complete what is lacking in your faith?

^11 (C1)Now may ^(C2)our God and Father ^(C3)Himself, and our Lord Jesus, ^(C4)direct our way to you;¹² and may the Lord cause you to increase and ^(C1)overflow in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;¹³ so that He may ^(C1)establish your hearts ^(C2)blameless in holiness before ^(C3)our God and Father at the ^(F1)(C4)coming of our Lord Jesus ^(C5)with all His ^(F2)saints.