uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: headings

General Information:

In verses 3–12, Paul gives thanks for the believers in Thessalonica and prays for them. A heading for this section might be, “Thanks and Prayers.”

(Occurrence 0) εὐχαριστεῖν ὀφείλομεν & πάντοτε

/to_be/_giving_thanks ˱we˲_ought & always

Paul here uses the word ought to express that he has a moral obligation to God to give thanks for the believers in Thessalonica. Use a natural expression for this in your language. Alternate translation: [We are bound always to thank] or [We can do no other than to thank] or [We must give thanks continually to]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

εὐχαριστεῖν ὀφείλομεν τῷ Θεῷ πάντοτε

/to_be/_giving_thanks ˱we˲_ought ¬the ˱to˲_God always

Paul uses always as a generalization meaning “often” or “regularly.” Alternate translation: [We should often give thanks to God]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

εὐχαριστεῖν ὀφείλομεν τῷ Θεῷ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί

/to_be/_giving_thanks ˱we˲_ought ¬the ˱to˲_God always concerning you_all brothers

If your readers might think that Paul is expressing an obligation only and that he does not actually pray for the Thessalonians, you could express the reality explicitly. Alternate translation: [We always thank God for you, brothers, as we ought]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ἀδελφοί

brothers

Here, brothers means fellow Christians, including both men and women. If your readers understand that it is addressed only to men, you may need to use both the masculine and the feminine forms of that word in your language. If you use a nonfigurative word such as “believers”, see that both the genders are addressed. Alternate translation: [brothers and sisters]

Note 5 topic: writing-pronouns

καθὼς ἄξιόν ἐστιν

as worthy ˱it˲_is

If it is difficult to express just as it is fitting in your language or if it is unclear what it refers to, consider starting a new sentence here to state it clearly. Alternate translation: [When we give thanks for you we are doing the right thing] or [Giving thanks for you is right for us to be doing] or [is the right thing to do]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ὑπεραυξάνει ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν

/is/_growing_beyond the faith ˱of˲_you_all

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind faith, you can express this idea as a verb. Alternate translation: [you believe in Christ more and more] or [you increasingly trust in Christ] or [you rely on Christ more each day]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

πλεονάζει ἡ ἀγάπη ἑνὸς ἑκάστου, πάντων ὑμῶν, εἰς ἀλλήλους

/is/_abounding the love ˱of˲_one each ˱of˲_all ˱of˲_you_all to one_another

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind love, you can express this idea as a verb. Alternate translation: [each of you sincerely loves one another more and more]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / rpronouns

ἀλλήλους

one_another

Here, one another means fellow believers. Alternate translation: [each other] or [each believer]