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

¹Mwishowe hatukuweza kuvumilia zaidi. Basi, tuliamua kubaki kule Athene peke yetu,

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;

²na kumtuma kwenu ndugu yetu Timotheo, ambaye ni mfanyakazi mwenzetu kwa ajili ya Mungu katika kuhubiri Habari Njema ya Kristo. Tulimtuma ili awaimarisheni na kuwafarijini,

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

³kusudi imani ya mtu yeyote miongoni mwenu isije ikafifia kwa sababu ya taabu hizo. Ninyi mnajua kwamba tunapaswa kupata mateso.

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.

⁴Maana, tulipokuwa pamoja nanyi, tuliwaambieni kwamba tutateswa; na kama mjuavyo ndivyo ilivyotukia.

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.

⁵Ndio maana nilimtuma Timotheo kwenu. Sikuweza kungoja zaidi, na hivyo nilimtuma nipate habari za imani yenu. Isije ikawa labda Mshawishi aliwajaribuni na kazi yote tuliyofanya miongoni mwenu imepotea bure!

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;

⁶Sasa Timotheo amekwisha rudi, naye ametupa habari za kufurahisha kuhusu imani na upendo wenu. Ametuarifu kwamba mnatukumbuka daima, na kwamba mna hamu ya kutuona sisi kama nasi tulivyo na hamu ya kuwaoneni.

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

⁷Basi, habari za imani yenu zimetutia moyo katika taabu na mateso yetu yote,

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

⁸kwani sasa tunaishi kweli ikiwa ninyi mnasimama imara katika kuungana na Bwana.

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;

⁹Sasa twaweza kumshukuru Mungu wetu kwa ajili yenu. Tunamshukuru kwa furaha tuliyo nayo mbele yake kwa sababu yenu.

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

¹⁰Tunazidi kumwomba Mungu usiku na mchana kwa moyo wetu wote ili atupatie fursa ya kuwaoneni uso kwa uso ili tuweze kurekebisha chochote kilichopungua katika imani yenu.

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

¹¹Tunamwomba Mungu, Baba yetu mwenyewe, na Bwana wetu Yesu atutayarishie njia ya kuja kwenu.

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,

¹²Bwana awawezeshe ninyi kupendana na kuwapenda watu wote zaidi na zaidi, kama vile sisi tunavyowapenda ninyi.

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.

¹³Hivyo ataiimarisha mioyo yenu, nanyi mtakuwa wakamilifu na watakatifu mbele ya Mungu na Baba yetu wakati Bwana wetu Yesu atakapokuja pamoja na wote walio wake.