Because the Good News that we brought came home to you, not merely as so many words, but with a power and a fulness of conviction due to the Holy Spirit. For you know the life that we lived among you for your good.

Never at any time, as you know, did we use the language of flattery, or make false professions in order to hide selfish aims. God will bear witness to that.

You will bear witness, and God also, that our relations with you who believed in Christ were pure, and upright, and beyond reproach.

And so, as we could bear it no longer, we made up our minds to remain behind alone at Athens,

Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face, and make good any deficiency in your faith.

And so make your hearts strong, and your lives pure beyond reproach, in the sight of our God and Father, at the Coming of our Lord Jesus, with all his Holy Ones.

For this is God's purpose--that you should be pure; abstaining from all immorality;

Never cease to pray;

Brothers, pray for us.