1 Thessalonians 3

New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel

1 Thessalonians 3

1Therefore, when we could bear it no longer, we were well pleased to be left behind at Athens alone,Διὸ μηκέτι στέγοντες, εὐδοκήσαμεν καταλειφθῆναι ἐν Ἀθήναις μόνοι,

2and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, in order to establish you and exhort you concerning your faith,καὶ ἐπέμψαμεν Τιμόθεον τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν καὶ διάκονον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ συνεργὸν ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, εἰς τὸ στηρίξαι ὑμᾶς καὶ παρακαλέσαι ὑμᾶς περὶ τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν,

3that no one should be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.τὸ μηδένα σαίνεσθαι ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσι ταύταις· αὐτοὶ γὰρ οἴδατε ὅτι εἰς τοῦτο κείμεθα.

4For even when we were with you, we were telling you in advance that we were going to be afflicted, just as it has come to pass, and as you know.Καὶ γὰρ ὅτε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἦμεν, προελέγομεν ὑμῖν ὅτι μέλλομεν θλίβεσθαι, καθὼς καὶ ἐγένετο καὶ οἴδατε.

5Because of this, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, lest somehow the tempter had tempted you, and our labor be in vain.Διὰ τοῦτο κἀγώ, μηκέτι στέγων, ἔπεμψα εἰς τὸ γνῶναι τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν, μήπως ἐπείρασεν ὑμᾶς ὁ πειράζων, καὶ εἰς κενὸν γένηται ὁ κόπος ἡμῶν.

6But now when Timothy came to us from you, and brought good news to us of your faith and your love, and that you have good remembrance of us always, longing to see us, as we also long to see you—Ἄρτι δὲ ἐλθόντος Τιμοθέου πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν, καὶ εὐαγγελισαμένου ἡμῖν τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην ὑμῶν, καὶ ὅτι ἔχετε μνείαν ἡμῶν ἀγαθὴν πάντοτε, ἐπιποθοῦντες ἡμᾶς ἰδεῖν, καθάπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑμᾶς·

7because of this we were encouraged, brothers, in regard to you in all our affliction and distress by your faith.διὰ τοῦτο παρεκλήθημεν, ἀδελφοί, ἐφ᾽ ὑμῖν ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ θλίψει καὶ ἀνάγκῃ ἡμῶν διὰ τῆς ὑμῶν πίστεως·

8For now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord.ὅτι νῦν ζῶμεν, ἐὰν ὑμεῖς στήκετε ἐν Κυρίῳ.

9For whatever thanksgiving can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we are rejoicing because of you in the presence of our God,Τίνα γὰρ εὐχαριστίαν δυνάμεθα τῷ Θεῷ ἀνταποδοῦναι περὶ ὑμῶν, ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ χαρᾷ ᾗ χαίρομεν δι᾽ ὑμᾶς ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν,

10night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and to perfect what is lacking in your faith?νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας ὑπὲρ ἐκπερισσοῦ δεόμενοι εἰς τὸ ἰδεῖν ὑμῶν τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ καταρτίσαι τὰ ὑστερήματα τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν;

11Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, lead us directly to you.Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ ἡμῶν, καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, κατευθύναι τὴν ὁδὸν ἡμῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς·

12And may the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all men, as indeed we also do toward you,ὑμᾶς δὲ ὁ Κύριος πλεονάσαι καὶ περισσεύσαι τῇ ἀγάπῃ εἰς ἀλλήλους καὶ εἰς πάντας, καθάπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς ὑμᾶς,

13so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.εἰς τὸ στηρίξαι ὑμῶν τὰς καρδίας ἀμέμπτους ἐν ἁγιωσύνῃ, ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς ἡμῶν, ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων αὐτοῦ.

The Fathers on 1 Thessalonians 3

Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.

On 1 Thessalonians 3:5–8

Saint John Chrysostom

Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the First Epistle to the Thessalonians

“For this cause I also, when I could no longer forbear, sent that I might know your faith, lest by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor should be in vain. But when Timothy came even now unto us from you, and brought us glad tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have good remembrance of us alway...

Read Homilies on the First Epistle to the Thessalonians →