as we recall your active faith and labour of love and patient hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.

for the word of the Lord has resounded from you not only through Macedonia and Achaia ??no, your faith in God has reached every place. We never need to speak about it.

I sent Timotheus our brother, a minister of God in the gospel of Christ, for your strengthening and encouragement in the faith,

Well then, unable to bear it any longer, I sent to find out about your faith, in case the Tempter had tempted you and our labour had been thrown away.

But when Timotheus reached me a moment ago, on his return from you, bringing me the good news of your faith and love and of how you always remember me kindly, longing to see me as I long to see you,

then, amid all my own distress and trouble, I was cheered ??this faith of yours encouraged me.

Night and day I pray specially that I may see your faces and supply what is defective in your faith.

but we must be sober, we who belong to the day, clad in faith and love as our coat of mail, with the hope of salvation as our helmet ??9 for God destined us not for Wrath but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,