independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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The sending of Timothy 3:1–5
vv. 1–2 — unable to bear it: left alone, Timothy sent
1
Therefore, when we could bear it no longer,participial — fronted causal participle — leans on the resolve below; Διό gathers up 2:17–20
we resolved to be left behind at Athens alone,independent — the decision — solitude accepted as the price
2
and we sent Timothy,independent — the sending — coordinate with the resolve
our brother and God's servant in the gospel of Christ,phrase modifier — apposition — the envoy's credentials (NA28 reads διάκονον τοῦ θεοῦ)
to strengthen and encourage you concerning your faith,purpose — εἰς τό + double infinitive — the mission: establish and encourage
vv. 3–4 — appointed for affliction: forewarned, and it happened
3
that no one be shaken by these afflictions.content — epexegetic articular infinitive — the aim of the strengthening spelled out
For you yourselves knowcause — the ground — why none should be shaken: they already know
that we are appointed for this.content — affliction the believer's appointed position (κείμεθα)
4
For indeed, when we were with you,conditional — temporal frame (ὅτε) — leans on προελέγομεν below
we told you beforehandcause — the second ground (καὶ γάρ) — iterative imperfect: repeated forewarning
that we were going to suffer affliction,content — the forewarning — μέλλομεν retained from the direct speech
just as it also came to pass,comparative — prediction confirmed by event
and you know it.comparative — the second appeal to their own knowledge (cf. v. 3)
v. 5 — the resumption: I sent to know your faith
5
For this reason I also, when I could bear it no longer,participial — the resumption of v. 1, now singular — leans on ἔπεμψα below
sentindependent — the sending restated — the object (Timothy) understood from v. 2
to learn about your faith,purpose — εἰς τό + infinitive — the point of the mission: to know
lest somehow the tempter had tempted youcontent — clause of apprehension — indicative ἐπείρασεν: the testing feared as fact
and our labor might prove to be in vain.content — the feared outcome — subjunctive γένηται: still undecided
Timothy's good news 3:6–10
vv. 6–8 — the report and the relief: now we live
6
But now that Timothy has come to us from youparticipial — genitive absolute — leans on παρεκλήθημεν below (v. 7)
and brought us the good news of your faith and love,participial — the second genitive absolute — the report itself a 'gospel' (εὐαγγελισαμένου)
and that you always have a good remembrance of us,content — the report's third item — a ὅτι clause coordinate with the accusatives
longing to see usparticipial — nominative participle with the implied 'you' — the yearning behind the memory
just as we also long to see you —comparative — the longing reciprocated — the verb supplied from ἐπιποθοῦντες
7
for this reason, brothers, we were comforted about youindependent — the main clause at last — Timothy's task (v. 2) become Paul's experience
in all our distress and afflictionphrase modifier — the circumstance — comfort in the midst of Paul's own affliction
through your faith,phrase modifier — the instrument — their faith the consolation
8
because now we live,cause — the ground of the comfort — their steadfastness is life to Paul
if you stand firm in the Lord.conditional — trailing protasis — ἐάν with indicative στήκετε: the standing assumed real
vv. 9–10 — thanksgiving beyond repayment, prayer night and day
9
For what thanksgiving can we render to God for you,independent — rhetorical question — no thanks could repay (ἀνταποδοῦναι)
in return for all the joyphrase modifier — the debt named — the joy to be repaid
with which we rejoice on your account before our God,relative — cognate relative — joy rejoiced before God, i.e. in prayer
10
night and day praying most earnestlyparticipial — the posture of the question — begging beyond all measure (ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ)
that we may see your facepurpose — the prayer's first aim — reunion face to face
and supply what is lacking in your faith?purpose — the second aim — the faith's gaps made complete (καταρτίσαι)
The wish-prayer 3:11–13
11
Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you;independent — first optative — singular κατευθύναι with the double subject: Father and Son act as one
12
and may the Lord make you increase and abound in loveindependent — second optative — fronted ὑμᾶς: whatever becomes of Paul's road, may you abound
for one another and for all,phrase modifier — love's double reach — inside the church and beyond it
just as we also do for you,comparative — the apostolic measure — Paul's own love the pattern
13
so as to establish your hearts blameless in holinesspurpose — εἰς τό + infinitive (NA28, not the optative στηρίξαι) — love the means; στηρίξαι answers v. 2
before our God and Fatherphrase modifier — the tribunal — blamelessness measured in God's own presence
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.phrase modifier — the horizon — the parousia, μετὰ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων (Zech 14:5)
Analysis. The chapter's shape is anxiety resolved into prayer, and the layout shows it in three postures. In vv. 1–5 the main verbs are verbs of sending — εὐδοκήσαμεν … ἐπέμψαμεν, then ἔπεμψα — each with a fronted frame leaning forward on it (μηκέτι στέγοντες in v. 1, μηκέτι στέγων in v. 5: the inclusio of unbearable separation), while the purpose chain steps down from the mission (στηρίξαι, παρακαλέσαι) to the ground that affliction is the appointed lot (vv. 3–4 reach depth 5). Verse 6 is the hinge: a double genitive absolute — Timothy came, Timothy 'gospeled' — hangs suspended over the long-delayed main verb παρεκλήθημεν of v. 7, and the relief cascades into the ground ὅτι νῦν ζῶμεν, the rhetorical question of v. 9, and the night-and-day prayer of v. 10. Verses 11–13 are two flush-left optatives — κατευθύναι, then πλεονάσαι καὶ περισσεύσαι — with the whole chapter's goal beneath them: hearts established blameless at the parousia. Choices the layout takes a side on: the fronted participles and the genitive absolute are set as forward-leaning frames with no anchor, like protases; τὸ μηδένα σαίνεσθαι (v. 3) is read as epexegetic of the purpose of v. 2, not a fresh purpose of ἐπέμψαμεν; the μή πως clause (v. 5) hangs on γνῶναι, its indicative ἐπείρασεν treating the testing as feared fact while subjunctive γένηται leaves the outcome open; ἐὰν ὑμεῖς στήκετε (v. 8) is a trailing protasis with the indicative — the standing assumed real; in v. 11 the singular optative κατευθύναι takes God-and-Father and the Lord Jesus as one double subject; and v. 13's εἰς τὸ στηρίξαι is the articular infinitive of NA28 (not the optative στηρίξαι), hung on περισσεύσαι so that abounding love is the means of established hearts, with ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ read with στηρίξαι.