Ebandleni laseListra, bekunaThimothi, labengumzalwane losemusha. Babe wakhe abengumGriki kantsi make wakhe abengumJuda. Make wakhe Yunisi nagogo wakhe Lowisi bamfundzisa ngaJehova kusukela asemncane.

Ngesikhatsi Pawula avakasha kwesibili eListra, wabona kutsi Thimothi uyabatsandza bazalwane futsi uyabasita. Pawula wacela Thimothi kutsi ahambe naye nakashumayela. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi Pawula wacecesha Thimothi kutsi abe ngumshumayeli lonelikhono wetindzaba letimnandzi.

Umoya Longcwele wabasita boPawula naThimothi. Ngalobunye busuku Pawula wabona umbono, lapho indvodza letsite beyibancenga kutsi bewelele eMasedoniya bayobasita. Ngako Pawula, Thimothi, Silasi kanye naLukha bahamba bayobasita futsi bamisa emabandla.

Bantfu labanyenti baseMasedoniya baba ngemaKhristu. Kodvwa lamanye emaJuda aba nemona. Ahudvula labazalwane abayisa kubaphatsi belidolobha, amemeta atsi: ‘Lamadvodza atitsa teMbuso wemaRoma.’ Kuphila kwaPawula naThimothi besekusengotini, ngako babaleka baya eBheriya.

Bantfu baseBheriya batilalela tindzaba letimnandzi, futsi emaGriki nemaJuda aba ngemakholwa. Kodvwa ngesikhatsi emaJuda lesuka eThesalonika abanga siphitsiphitsi, Pawula waya e-Athene. BoThimothi naSilasi basala eBheriya kuze bakhutsate bazalwane. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Pawula watfuma Thimothi eThesalonika kutsi ayosita bazalwane lebebaphatfwa kabi. Pawula waphindze watfuma Thimothi kutsi avakashele nalamanye emabandla kuze awakhutsate.

 Pawula watsi kuThimothi: ‘Bonkhe labafuna kuphila ngekutinikela kuNkulunkulu, nabo batawuphatfwa kabi.’ Thimothi waphatfwa kabi futsi waboshwa ngenca yekukholwa kwakhe. Wajabula ngobe wakhona kuhlala etsembekile kuJehova.

Pawula watsi kubaseFiliphu: ‘Ngitfuma Thimothi kini. Utanifundzisa ngaNkulunkulu, aphindze aniceceshele kushumayela.’ Pawula abemetsemba Thimothi. Basebenta ndzawonye iminyaka leminyenti.