1 Thessalonians 3:1

When we could no longer forbear (mhketi stegonte). Stegw is old verb to cover from stegh, roof ( Mark 2:4 ), to cover with silence, to conceal, to keep off, to endure as here and 1 Corinthians 9:12 ; 1 Corinthians 13:7 . In the papyri in this sense (Moulton and Milligan's Vocabulary). Mhketi usual negative with participle in the Koin rather than ouketi. We thought it good (hudokhsamen). Either literary plural as in 1 Corinthians 2:18 or Paul and Silas as more likely. If so, both Timothy and Silas came to Athens ( Acts 17:15 ), but Timothy was sent (we sent, epempsamen, verse 1 Thessalonians 3:2 ) right back to Thessalonica and later Paul sent Silas on to Beroea or Thessalonica (verse 1 Thessalonians 5 , I sent, epempsa). Then both Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia to Corinth ( Acts 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 Acts 2:7 and now brother, minister (and possibly fellow-worker).