2 For you know what ^cinstructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For ^dthis is the will of God, your ^esanctification:¹ that you abstain from ^fsexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body² in ^gholiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of ^hlust ⁱlike the Gentiles who ^jdo not know God;

1 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, ⁱwe were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and ^jwe sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker¹ in the gospel of Christ, to ^kestablish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that ^lwe are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, ^mjust as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the ⁿtempter had tempted you and our labor would be ^oin vain.

Timothy’s Encouraging Report

6 But ^pnow that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and ^qlove and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— 7 for this reason, brothers,² in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you are ^rstanding fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly ^snight and day that we may ^tsee you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, ^udirect our way to you, 12 and may the Lord ^vmake you increase and abound in love ^wfor one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that ^xhe may ^yestablish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the ^zcoming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.