1 Thessalonians 3:1-5, NIV
Map stones: encourage each other in faith…unsettled by these trials…vs 1-3;…persecuted.. ; …in some way, the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless vs 5.
1 Thessalonians 3:1-5, GNB
[1]Finally, we could not bear it any longer. So we decided to stay on alone in Athens
[2]while we sent Timothy, our brother who works with us for God in preaching the Good News about Christ. We sent him to strengthen you and help your faith,
[3]so that none of you should turn back because of these persecutions. You yourselves know that such persecutions are part of God’s will for us.
[4]For while we were still with you, we told you beforehand that we were going to be persecuted; and as you well know, that is exactly what happened.
[5]That is why I had to send Timothy. I could not bear it any longer, so I sent him to find out about your faith. Surely it could not be that the Devil had tempted you and all our work had been for nothing!