OET interlinear 1TH 2:18

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

διότι

because

Here, the word For could introduce: (1) the basis or evidence for Paul’s claim in the previous verse that he and his fellow workers were eager to visit the Thessalonians. Alternate translation: “In fact,” or “You know that is true because” (2) an inference from Paul’s claim in the previous verse about how eager he and his fellow workers were to visit the Thessalonians. Alternate translation: “Therefore,” or “So then,”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / go

ἐλθεῖν

/to/_come

Your language may say “go” rather than come in contexts such as this. Alternate translation: “to go”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἐγὼ μὲν Παῦλος, καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δίς

I indeed Paul both once and twice

Paul is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “indeed I, Paul, desired to come to you both once and twice”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δίς

both once and twice

Here, the phrase both once and twice could mean that: (1) Paul tried to visit the Thessalonians multiple times. In this case, Paul does not clarify how many times he tried. Alternate translation: “many times” (2) Paul tried to visit them twice. Alternate translation: “two times” or “twice”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐνέκοψεν ἡμᾶς

hindered us

Here Paul means that Satan prevented him and his fellow workers from visiting the Thessalonians. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “prevented us from doing so” or “made it impossible for us to come”