3:1 {When we could no longer forbear} (meketi stegontes). stegw is old verb to cover from stege, roof (#Mr 2:4), to cover with silence, to conceal, to keep off, to endure as here and #1Co 9:12; 13:7. In the papyri in this sense (Moulton and Milligan's _Vocabulary_). meketi usual negative with participle in the _Koin‚_ rather than ouketi. {We thought it good} (eudokesamen). Either literary plural as in #2:18 or Paul and Silas as more likely. If so, both Timothy and Silas came to Athens (#Ac 17:15f.), but Timothy was sent ({we sent}, epemyamen, verse #2) right back to Thessalonica and later Paul sent Silas on to Beroea or Thessalonica (verse #5, {I sent}, epempsa). qen both Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia to Corinth (#Ac 18:5). {Alone} (monoi). Including Silas. {God's minister} (diakonon tou qeou). See on ¯Mt 22:13 for this interesting word, here in general sense not technical sense of deacon. Some MSS. have {fellow-worker} (sunergon). Already {apostle} in #2:7 and now {brother, minister} (and possibly {fellow-worker}).

3:3 {That no man be moved} (to medena sainesqai). Epexegetical articular infinitive in accusative case of general reference. sainw is old word to wag the tail, to flatter, beguile and this sense suits here (only N.T. example). The sense of "moved" or troubled or disheartened is from siainesqai the reading of F G and found in the papyri. {We are appointed} (keimeqa). Present middle, used here as passive of tiqemi. We Christians are set {hereunto} (eis touto) to be beguiled by tribulations. We must resist.

3:4 {We told you beforehand} (proelegomen humin). Imperfect active, we used to tell you beforehand. Old verb, rare in N.T. (only in Paul). {That we are to suffer persecution} (hoti mellomen qlibesqai). mellw and present passive infinitive. Not mere prediction, but God's appointed will as it turned out in Thessalonica.

3:5 {That I might know} (eis to gnwnai). Paul's common idiom (verse #2), eis to and the infinitive of purpose (second aorist ingressive active of ginwskw, come to know). {Lest by any means the tempter had tempted you} (me pws epeirasen humas ho peirazwn). Findlay takes this as a question with negative answer, but most likely negative final clause with me pws about a past action with aorist indicative according to the classic idiom as in #Ga 2:2 (me pws--edramon) and #Ga 4:11 after verb of fearing (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 988). It is a fear that the thing may turn out to be so about the past. {Should be} (genetai). Here the usual construction appears (aorist subjunctive with me pws) about the future.

3:6 {Even now} (arti). Just now, Timothy having come (elqontos Timoqeou, genitive absolute). Why Silas is not named is not clear, unless he had come from Beroea or elsewhere in Macedonia. {Glad tidings of} (euaggelisamenou). First aorist middle participle of the verb for evangelizing (gospelizing). {Good remembrance} (mneian). Same word used by Paul #1:2. {Longing to see us} (epipoqountes hemas idein). Old and strong verb, epi-, directive, to long after. Mutual longing that pleased Paul ("we also you").

3:7 {Over you} (ef' humin). epi with the locative, the basis on which the "comfort" rests. {In} (epi). Locative case again with epi. {Distress} (anagkei). {Physical necessity}, common sense in late Greek, choking (agcw, angor), and {crushing} trouble (qliyis, qlibw).

3:8 {If ye stand fast} (ean humeis stekete). Condition of first class, ean and present active indicative (correct text, not stekete subj.) of stekw, late form from perfect hesteka of histemi, to place.

3:9 {Render again unto God} (twi qewi antapodounai). Second aorist active infinitive of double compound verb ant-apodidwmi, to give back (apo) in return for (anti). Old verb rare in N.T., but again in #2Th 1:6. {For you} (peri humwn). Around (concerning) you, while in verse #2 huper (over is used for "concerning your faith." {For} (epi). Basis again as cause or ground for the joy. {Wherewith we joy} (hei cairomen). Probably cognate accusative hen with cairomen attracted to locative carai (#Mt 2:10).

3:10 {Exceedingly} (huperekperissou). Double compound adverb, only in #1Th 3:10; 5:13 (some MSS. -"s). Like piling Ossa on Pelion, perissws, abundantly, ek perissou, out of bounds, huperekperissou, more than out of bounds (overflowing all bounds). {And perfect} (kai katartisai). First aorist active articular infinitive of purpose (eis to idein--kai) of katartizw, to mend nets (#Mt 4:21) or men (#Ga 6:1) repair. Chiefly late. {That which is lacking in} (ta husteremata). The shortcomings, the lacks or left-overs (#Col 1:24). From husterew (husteron), to be late.

3:11 {Our God and Father himself} (autos ho qeos kai pater hemwn). Note one article with both substantives for one person. {And our Lord Jesus} (kai ho kurios hemwn iesous). Separate article here with iesous. In #Tit 2:13; 2Pe 1:1 only one article (not two) treating "our God and Savior Jesus Christ" as one just like "our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" in #2Pe 1:11; 2:20; 3:18. {Direct our way} (kateuqunai ten hodon hemwn). First aorist optative (acute accent on penult, not circumflex first aorist active infinitive) of kateuqunw, old verb to make straight path. Singular verb also, though both God and Christ mentioned as subject (unity in the Godhead). Apart from mˆ genoito ({may it not come to pass}) the optative in a wish of the third person is found in N.T. only in #1Th 3:11,12; 5:23; 2Th 2:17; 3:5,16; Ro 15:5,13.

3:12 {The Lord} (ho kurios). The Lord Jesus. Paul prays to Christ. {Make you to increase} (humas pleonasai). First aorist active optative (wish for future) of pleonazw, late verb from pleon (more), {to superabound}. {And abound} (perisseusai). First aorist active optative (wish for future) of perisseuw from perissos, old verb, to be over (common in N.T.). It is hard to see much difference between the two verbs.