Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone;
and sent Timothy, our brother and {Some ancient authorities read fellow-worker with God.}God's minister in the {Greek: good tidings. See chapter 1:5.}gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith;
that no man be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that hereunto we are appointed.
For verily, when we were with you, we told you {Or, plainly}beforehand that we are to suffer affliction; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
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 always, longing to see us, even as we also to see you;
for this cause, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith:
for now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
For what thanksgiving can we render again unto God for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;
night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
Now may {Or, God himself and our Father}our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way unto you:
and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you;
to the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before {Or, God and our Father}our God and Father, at the {Greek: presence. Compare 2 Corinthians 10:10.}coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints {Many ancient authorities add Amen.}.
Querverweise zu 1. Thessalonicher 3,12 1Thes 3,12
for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren that are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that ye abound more and more;
But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another;
See that none render unto any one evil for evil; but always follow after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all.
even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were become very dear to us.
Their idols are silver and gold,The work of men's hands.
for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren that are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that ye abound more and more;
All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets.
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;
{Or, And a second is like unto it, Thou shalt love &c.}And a second like unto it is this, {Leviticus 19:18.}Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness:
We are bound to give thanks to God always to you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith growth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth;
Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth {Greek: the other. Compare 1 Corinthians 6:1; 10:24; Galatians 6:4.}his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.
Every good {Or, giving}gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body {Many ancient authorities read that I may glory.}to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil;
rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;
{Or, covereth Compare 1 Peter 4:8.}beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things.
For now we see in a mirror, {Greek: in a riddle.}darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.
But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the {Greek: greater. Compare Matthew 18:1, 4; 23:11}greatest of these is love.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and {Greek: unto the day of eternity. Ecclus. 18:10}for ever. Amen.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith {Or, wrought}working through love.
For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another.
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: {Leviticus 19:18.}Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
and in your godliness {Greek: love of the brethren.}brotherly kindness; and in your {Greek: love of the brethren.}brotherly kindness love.
For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:
not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you.
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?
My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.
Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall {Greek: persuade. compare Matthew 28:14.}assure our heart {Or, before him, whereinsoever our heart condemn us; because God & c.}before him:
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Herein was the love of God manifested {Or, in our case}in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:
hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.
And we know and have believed the love which God hath {Or, in our case}in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him.