Verse 3work of faith Lit. operative faith, and laborious love, and hope-filled patience. Verse 9how ye turned The tenses of the believer's life here indicated are logical and give the true order. They occur also in 1 Thessalonians 1:3. The "work of faith" is to "turn to God from idols" (cf) John 6:28,29 the "labour of love" is to "serve the living and true God"; and the "patience of hope" is to "wait for his Son from heaven" (cf) ; Matthew 24:42; 25:13; Luke 12:36-48; Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20,21. Paul repeats this threefold sequence in Titus 2:11-13.