# be on guard. Remember

"be on guard and remember" or "be on guard as you remember"

# be on guard

"be awake and alert" or "watch out." Christian leaders being alert about anyone that may harm the community of believers is spoken of as if they were guards in an army watching out for the enemy army. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])

# Remember that

"Continue to remember that" or "Do not forget that"

# for three years I never stopped warning ... night and day

Paul taught them over the space of three years, but not necessarily every day for three years. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole]])

# I never stopped warning ... you

This does not mean that the only words he spoke were words of warning. Rather, Paul is using hyperbole to remind them that he had told them often that evil men would try to deceive them. Alternate translation: "I warned ... you as often as I could" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole]])

# with tears

Here "tears" refers to Paul's crying because of the strong emotion of concern he felt while he was warning the people. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy]])

