When I could bear it no longer
recalls, in almost the same words as 1 Thessalonians 3:1, the internal conflict created by Paul’s concern for the Thessalonians and his inability to return to them. Although in 1 Thessalonians 3:1 Paul had referred to himself using the plural pronoun we,
he uses the singular I
here. This has the effect of emphasizing his personal concern in the matter—an emphasis which is compounded in Greek by the combination of and/even
with I
into the compound κἀγὼ (Greek: καὶ + ἐγώ = κἀγὼ). This combination and emphasis is not generally represented in the English translations.
5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.