1Nʼchifukwa chake pamene sitinathenso kupirira, tinaganiza kuti kunali bwino kuti atisiye tokha ku Atene. 2Tinatuma Timoteyo, mʼbale wathu ndi mnzathu wogwira naye ntchito ya Mulungu yofalitsa Uthenga Wabwino wa Khristu, kuti adzakulimbitseni mitima ndi kukukhazikitsani mʼchikhulupiriro chanu, 3ndi cholinga chakuti wina asasunthike ndi mavutowa. Inu mukudziwa bwino lomwe kuti ndife oyenera kukumana ndi zimenezi. 4Kunena zoona, pamene tinali nanu, tinkakuwuzani kuti tidzayenera kuzunzidwa. Ndipo monga mukudziwa bwino, zimenezi zinachitikadi. 5Nʼchifukwa chake, pamene sindikanathanso kupirira, ndinatuma Timoteyo kuti adzaone mmene chikhulupiriro chanu chilili. Ndinkaopa kuti mwina wonyengayo, wakunyengani mʼnjira ina yake ndi kuti ntchito zathu zasanduka zosapindula.
Nkhani Yolimbikitsa Kuchokera kwa Timoteyo
6Koma tsopano Timoteyo wabwera kuchokera kwanuko ndipo watibweretsera nkhani yabwino ya chikhulupiriro chanu ndi chikondi chanu. Iye watiwuzanso kuti masiku onse mumatikumbukira mokondwa, ndipo kuti mumafunitsitsa kutionanso, monga momwe ifenso timalakalakira kukuonani inuyo. 7Motero abale, mʼmasautso ndi mʼmazunzo athu onse, chikhulupiriro chanu chatilimbikitsa. 8Ife tsopano tili moyodi, pakuti mukuyima molimbika mwa Ambuye. 9Tingathe bwanji kuyamika Mulungu mokwanira poona chimwemwe chonse chimene tili nacho pamaso pa Mulungu wathu chifukwa cha inu? 10Usana ndi usiku timapemphera ndi mtima wonse kuti tionanenso nanu, ndi kukwaniritsa zimene zikusowa pa chikhulupiriro chanu.
11Tikupempha kuti Mulungu ndi Atate athu mwini, ndi Ambuye athu Yesu, atikonzere njira yabwino kuti tidzafike kwanuko. 12Ambuye achulukitse chikondi chanu ndi kuti chisefukire kwa wina ndi mnzake ndiponso kwa wina aliyense, monga momwe chikondi chathu chichitira kwa inu. 13Iye alimbikitse mitima yanu kuti mukhale opanda cholakwa ndi oyera mtima pamaso pa Mulungu ndi Atate athu pamene Ambuye athu Yesu akubwera ndi oyera ake onse.
1So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3so that no-one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. 4In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labours might have been in vain.
Timothy’s encouraging report
6But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
11Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
