1 Thessalonians 2
1 For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you was not in vain,
For you yourselves, brothers, are conscious that our coming among you was not without effect:
2 but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.
But after we had first undergone much pain and been cruelly attacked as you saw, at Philippi, by the help of God we gave you the good news without fear, though everything was against us.
3 For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception.
For our witness does not come from error or from an unclean heart or from deceit:
4 But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak—not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.
But even as the good news was given to us by the approval of God, so we give it out; not as pleasing men, but God by whom our hearts are tested.
5 For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),
For it is common knowledge among you that we never made use of smooth-sounding false words, and God is witness that at no time were we secretly desiring profit for ourselves,
6 nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.
Or looking for glory from men, from you or from others, when we might have made ourselves a care to you as Apostles of Christ.
7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
But we were gentle among you, like a woman caring for her little ones:
8 Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.
Even so, being full of loving desire for you, we took delight in giving you not only God's good news, but even our lives, because you were dear to us.
9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.
For you have the memory, my brothers, of our trouble and care; how, working night and day, so that we might not be a trouble to any of you, we gave you the good news of God.
10 You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.
You are witnesses, with God, how holy and upright and free from all evil was our way of life among you who have faith;
11 As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children,
Even as you saw how, like a father with his children, we were teaching and comforting you all, and giving witness,
12 to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.
So that your lives might be pleasing to God, who has given you a part in his kingdom and his glory.
13 For this cause we also thank God without ceasing that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, God’s word, which also works in you who believe.
And for this cause we still give praise to God, that, when the word came to your ears through us, you took it, not as the word of man, but, as it truly is, the word of God, which has living power in you who have faith.
14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews
For you, my brothers, took as your examples the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus; because you underwent the same things from your countrymen as they did from the Jews;
15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and do not please God, and are contrary to all men,
Who put to death the Lord Jesus and the prophets, violently driving us out; who are unpleasing to God and against all men;
16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.
Who, to make the measure of their sins complete, kept us from giving the word of salvation to the Gentiles: but the wrath of God is about to come on them in the fullest degree.
17 But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,
But we, my brothers, being away from you for a short time, in body but not in heart, had all the more desire to see your face;
18 because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.
For which reason we made attempts to come to you, even I, Paul, once and again; but Satan kept us from coming.
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is not it even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?
For what is our hope or joy or crown of glory? Are not even you, before our Lord Jesus, at his coming?
20 For you are our glory and our joy.
For you are our glory and our joy.
