because the good-news from us happened to you not in word only, but also in power, and in Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, as ye know what kind of men we became among you, because of you.

You became imitators of us and [through us] of the Lord, after you welcomed our message in [a time of] great trouble with the joy supplied by the Holy Spirit;

but after we had already suffered and been outrageously treated in Philippi, as you know, yet in [the strength of] our God we summoned the courage to proclaim boldly to you the good news of God [regarding salvation] amid great opposition.

We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

But we, brothers, who were orphaned from you for the time of an hour, in presence not in heart, hastened more earnestly to see your face, with much desire.

And now Timotheus having come unto us from you, and having declared good news to us of your faith and love, and that ye have a good remembrance of us always, desiring much to see us, as we also to see you,

for now we [really] live, if you [continue to] stand firm in [the service of] the Lord [i.e., Paul could enjoy life much more in knowing that the Thessalonians were living for the Lord faithfully].

And our desire is that you will keep control over those whose lives are not well ordered, giving comfort to the feeble-hearted, supporting those with little strength, and putting up with much from all.