1 Ndizo takati tibona tikong'wa, tikayemula kuti tisale toga mu Atene. 2 Takatuma Timoti ikamu tjedu, nshingili we Ndzimu naswi mu kusumikila ndebo mbuya ya Kirisiti, kumusimisa nenge kumukulumbidza mu bugalimoyo gwenyu, 3 kuti ndizo kushaye unosagadzikanyiwa nge ndiko idzedzi. Moziba zubuyanana kuti ikoku kwakatilingisana. 4 Nge malebeswa takati tinamwi, takabe timubudza lubaka gutjipo kuti towodziyidziwa; ngono sekwa munoziba, nditjo tjakashingikala. 5 Ndizo ngekwa ikoku ndakati ndibona kuti andingatjatubule kudzikitadza, ndakatumila nthu ndida ziba sekwa munotjila mu bugalimoyo gwenyu. Ndidziyidzika mu meya ndialakana kuti pamwe nliki wakamulika, ngono nshingo wedu ukasibe ne mbhayilo.
6 Koga se Timoti akatjibuya edwa kumuli ngono katizhisila thawu dzakanaka ngekwe bugalimoyo nenge ludo gwenyu, wakatibudza kuti tjibaka tjose motikumbula nge kwakanaka nenge kuti makashuba kutibona, se naswibo takamushuba. 7 Ndizo ngwenu zwikamu, mu buyendasi gwedu ne kudziyidziwa, takakulumbidzika nge kwe bugalimoyo gwenyu. 8 Ngobe ngwenu tozwihwa titjila dumbu, ngoti mumile makasima muna She. 9 Apa tingaboka Ndzimu kungapani nge kwenyu, ngekwe kushatha kose kwatinako nge kwenyu mbeli kwe Ndzimu wedu kene? 10 Siku ne sikati totembezela nge kugalamoyo, kuti titubule kumubona kakale kuti ndizo timupe tjamunosheta mu kugalamoyo kwenyu.
11 Tshene Ndzimu wedu, ibo Tate nge kwabo na She wedu Jesu bangatizhulila zila kuti tizhe kumuli. 12 Tshene She bangayita kuti, ludo gwenyu gupaphidzike, kuswikila mudana kwazo, kakale mudzine mude bathu bose sekwa tinomuda iswi. 13 Tshene bangasimisa mimoyo yenyu mu buyengemali, kuti ha She Jesu ezha ne bayengemali babe musibe ne nlandu mbeli kwe Ndzimu wedu, kakale bali Tate bedu.
1 Finally, we could not bear it any longer. So we decided to stay on alone in Athens 2 while we sent Timothy, our brother who works with us for God in preaching the Good News about Christ. We sent him to strengthen you and help your faith, 3 so that none of you should turn back because of these persecutions. You yourselves know that such persecutions are part of God's will for us. 4 For while we were still with you, we told you ahead of time that we were going to be persecuted; and as you well know, that is exactly what happened. 5 That is why I had to send Timothy. I could not bear it any longer, so I sent him to find out about your faith. Surely it could not be that the Devil had tempted you and all our work had been for nothing!
6 Now Timothy has come back, and he has brought us the welcome news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always think well of us and that you want to see us just as much as we want to see you. 7 So, in all our trouble and suffering we have been encouraged about you, friends. It was your faith that encouraged us, 8 because now we really live if you stand firm in your life in union with the Lord. 9 Now we can give thanks to our God for you. We thank him for the joy we have in his presence because of you. 10 Day and night we ask him with all our heart to let us see you personally and supply what is needed in your faith.
11 May our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus prepare the way for us to come to you! 12 May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow more and more and become as great as our love for you. 13 In this way he will strengthen you, and you will be perfect and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all who belong to him.