¹Therefore when we couldn’t stand it any longer, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone,

¹¶ Na, i te kore e taea te ngakau te pehi tonu, i pai matou kia mahue ko matou anake i Atene.

²and sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant in the Good News of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith;

²A tonoa ana e matou a Timoti, to matou teina, he minita na te Atua, he hoa mahi no matou ki te rongopai o te Karaiti, hei whakau i a koutou, hei korero whakamarie ki a koutou mo nga mea o to koutou whakapono.

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

³Kei whakangaueuetia tetahi e enei tukinotanga: e matau ana ano hoki koutou he mea momotu ke tatou mo tenei mea.

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

⁴I a matou hoki e noho ana i a koutou, i korero wawe ano matou ki a koutou, tera tatou e tukinotia; ko ia ano tenei, ka matau nei koutou.

⁵For this cause I also, when I couldn’t 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.

⁵Na reira i te mea te taea toku ngakau te pehi tonu, ka tono tangata atu ahau kia mohio ai ahau ki to koutou whakapono, kei whakawaia pea koutou e te kaiwhakawai, a maumau kau ta matou mahi.

⁶But 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;

⁶¶ Tena ko tenei, ka tae mai nei a Timoti ki a matou i a koutou, ka pai hoki tana korero ki a matou mo to koutou whakapono, mo to koutou aroha, mo koutou hoki e whai mahara pai ana ki a matou i nga wa katoa, e hiahia ana kia kite i a matou, he pera ano me to matou ki a koutou;

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

⁷Na kua whai whakamarietanga matou i a koutou, e oku teina, i o matou tukinotanga katoa, i o matou matenga, he mea na to koutou whakapono.

⁸For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

⁸Ko to matou ora nei hoki tenei, ara kia tu tonu koutou i runga i te Ariki.

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

⁹Me aha hoki he whakawhetai ma matou ki te Atua mo koutou, mo nga hari katoa e hari nei matou ki a koutou, i te aroaro o to tatou Atua?

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

¹⁰Nui atu ta matou inoi i te po, i te ao, kia kite i o koutou kanohi, kia whakaotia ano hoki e matou nga whai o to koutou whakapono i hapa.

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

¹¹¶ Na, ma te Atua ake ano, ara ma to tatou Matua, ma to tatou Ariki hoki, ma Ihu Karaiti, e whakatika to matou ara ki a koutou.

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

¹²Ma te Ariki ano hoki e mea kia nui, kia hira to koutou aroha tetahi, ki tetahi, ki nga tangata katoa hoki, kia penei ano me to matou ki a koutou.

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

¹³Kia whakaukia ai o koutou ngakau he mea kahore he he i runga i te tapu i te aroaro o te Atua, o to tatou Matua, i te taenga mai o to tatou Ariki, o Ihu Karaiti, ratou ko tana hunga tapu katoa.