1 Being therefore impatient to
hear of you, we judg'd it proper
to stay at Athens alone,
and send you our brother Timothy,
2
a minister of God,
and our collegue in preaching
the gospel of Christ, that by
establishing you in the faith,
and by his exhortations,
3 none
of you might be stagger'd by
these persecutions: for you
know that we are destin'd to
suffer.
4 and even when we
were with you, we foretold
you, that we should be persecuted,
as you know it happen'd.
5 not being able therefore
to wait any longer, I sent Timothy
to know the state of your
faith, for fear the tempter
should have seduc'd you, and
all our labour have prov'd abortive.
6 but Timothy, upon his
arrival here from you, brings
us the agreeable news of the
perseverance of your faith and
charity, that you always make
honourable mention of us, and
that you desire to see us as
ardently as we do to see you.
7 Thus, my brethren, your
conduct has given us great consolation,
under all our persecutions
and distress.
8 for now I am
reviv'd, since you continue
stedfast in the christian profession.
9 how can I be sufficiently
-- --
thankful to God upon
your account, for all the joy,
which by your means we have
been affected with,
10 whilst
night and day we make our
ardent requests to him, that
we may once more be present
with you, that nothing may be
wanting note to the perfection of
your faith?
11 now may God our
father, and our Lord Jesus
Christ remove all the obstructions
of our journey to you.
12 may
the Lord make you increase
and abound in mutual love, in
love towards all men, as we
do towards you:
13 that by the
sanctity of your affections, you
may stand unreprov'd in the
presence of God our father,
when our Lord Jesus Christ
shall come with all his holy
angels.
Mace [1729], THE NEW TESTAMENT IN Greek and English. Containing the ORIGINAL TEXT Corrected from the Authority of the most Authentic Manuscripts: AND A NEW VERSION Form'd agreeably to the Illustrations of the most Learned Commentators and Critics: WITH NOTES and VARIOUS READINGS, AND A Copious Alphabetical Index (Printed for J. ROBERTS [etc.], LONDON) [word count] [B11200].