1 Finally, we could not bear it any longer. So we decided to stay on alone in Athens 2 while we sent Timothy, our brother who works with us for God in preaching the Good News about Christ. We sent him to strengthen you and help your faith, 3 so that none of you should turn back because of these persecutions. You yourselves know that such persecutions are part of God's will for us. 4 For while we were still with you, we told you ahead of time that we were going to be persecuted; and as you well know, that is exactly what happened. 5 That is why I had to send Timothy. I could not bear it any longer, so I sent him to find out about your faith. Surely it could not be that the Devil had tempted you and all our work had been for nothing!
6 Now Timothy has come back, and he has brought us the welcome news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always think well of us and that you want to see us just as much as we want to see you. 7 So, in all our trouble and suffering we have been encouraged about you, friends. It was your faith that encouraged us, 8 because now we really live if you stand firm in your life in union with the Lord. 9 Now we can give thanks to our God for you. We thank him for the joy we have in his presence because of you. 10 Day and night we ask him with all our heart to let us see you personally and supply what is needed in your faith.
11 May our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus prepare the way for us to come to you! 12 May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow more and more and become as great as our love for you. 13 In this way he will strengthen you, and you will be perfect and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all who belong to him.
1 ولمّا فرَغَ صَبرُنا، رأيْنا مِنَ الأفضَلِ أنْ نبقى وحدَنا في أثينةَ، 2 فأرسَلْنا تيموثاوُسَ أخانا والعاملَ معَ اللهِ في بشارَةِ المَسيحِ ليُشَجّعَكُم ويقوّيَ إيمانَكُم، 3 لِئلاّ يتزعزعَ أحدٌ منكُم في هذِهِ الشّدائِدِ، فأنتُم تعرِفونَ أنّ هذا نصيبُنا. 4 ولمّا كُنا عندَكُم، قُلنا لكُم إنّنا سنُعاني الشّدائِدَ، وذلِكَ ما حدَثَ كما تعرِفونَ. 5 ولِهذا أرسَلتُ حينَ فرَغَ صَبري مَنْ يستَخبِرُ عنْ إيمانِكُم خوفًا مِنْ أنْ يكونَ المجرّبُ جرّبكُم فيصيرَ تعبُنا باطلاً.
6 والآنَ رجَعَ إلَينا تيموثاوُسُ مِنْ عندِكُم وبشّرَنا بما أنتُم علَيهِ مِنْ إيمانٍ ومحبّةٍ وقالَ لَنا إنّكُم تذكُرونَنا بالخَيرِ دائمًا وتشتاقونَ إلى رُؤيتِنا كما نشتاقُ إلى رؤيتِكُم، 7 فشدّدَ إيمانُكُم هذا عزائِمَنا في كُلّ ما نُعانيهِ، أيّها الإخوةُ، مِنَ الضّيقِ والشدّةِ، 8 بلْ نحنُ الآنَ نَحيا ما دمتُم ثابتينَ في الربّ. 9 فأيّ شُكرٍ نقدِرُ أنْ نؤدّيَهُ إلى اللهِ من أجلِكُم على كُلّ هذا الفرَحِ الذي نشعُرُ بهِ أمامَ إلهِنا بفضلِكُم؟ 10 وكم نسألُ اللهَ ليلاً ونهارًا أنْ نرى وجهَكُم ونُكمّلَ ما نقَصَ مِنْ إيمانِكُم.
11 نرجو أنْ يُمهّدَ اللهُ أبونا وربّنا يسوعُ طريقَ المَجيءِ إلَيكُم، 12 وأنْ يزيدَ الربّ محبّةَ بعضِكُم لبَعضٍ ولجَميعِ النّاسِ على قَدرِ محبّتِنا لكُم، 13 وأنْ يقوّيَ قُلوبَكُم فتكونوا بقداسةٍ لا لومَ فيها، أمامَ إلهِنا وأبـينا، يومَ مجيءِ ربّنا يسوعَ مع جميعِ قِدّيسيهِ. آمين.