We continually remember, in the presence of our God and Father, the work produced by your faith, the labor prompted by your love, and your endurance motivated by your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

We know, my brothers who are dearly loved by God, about your election [i.e., that you were chosen by God because of your obedient faith],

For the Lord's message sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith toward God [also] spread everywhere [else], so that we do not have to say anything [about you].

and so we [i.e., I] sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow-worker in [the ministry of] the Gospel, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,

[So], for this reason, when I could not stand it any longer, I also sent [Timothy] to find out about your faith. I was afraid that somehow the tempter [i.e., Satan] had tempted you [to give up] and that our work [on your behalf] will have become useless.

But now Timothy has returned to us from you and brought us good news about your faith and love, and [reported] that you have good memories of us. [He told us that you are] longing to see us, just as we also long to see you.

So, brothers, through all of our distress and persecution, we were encouraged over you because of your faith,

Night and day we pray very earnestly that we will be able to see you in person, so we can provide what is lacking in your faith.

But, since we belong to the daytime [i.e., are enlightened], we should be sober. We should put on the "flack jacket" of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of being saved.