1 Thessalonians 2
1 You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain.
Now you yourselves know, brothers, that our entrance to you did not happen without purpose.
2 As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.
Rather, in spite of having already suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, we made bold in our God to speak to you the Gospel of God, in the face of strong opposition.
3 For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery.
Further, our exhortation does not spring from delusion or impurity, nor is it in deception,
4 Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.
but we speak precisely as those who have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, not so as to please men, but to please the God who evaluates our hearts.
5 As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!
Further, you well know that we never used words to flatter, or to disguise greed (God is witness),
6 Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.
or to seek glory from men (whether from you or from others)—as apostles of Christ we could have been ‘heavy’,
7 On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children.
but we were gentle among you, like a nurse cherishing her own children.
8 We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.
Yearning over you in this way, we were well pleased to share with you not only the Gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become dear to us.
9 Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and exertion, because working night and day, so as not to burden any of you, we proclaimed the Gospel of God to you.
10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.
You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe;
11 For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children—
indeed, you know how we treated each one of you as a father does his own children, exhorting and comforting you,
12 encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
insisting that you conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
13 And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the true word of God—the word which is now at work in you who believe.
Another reason we give thanks to God continually is that when you received from us the spoken Word of God, you welcomed it not as the word of men but, as it actually is, the Word of God, which is indeed operative in you who believe.
14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews,
For you, brothers, became imitators of God's congregations in Christ Jesus, the ones in Judea, in that you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen that they did from the Jews
15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,
(the ones who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, who have persecuted us, who do not please God and are hostile to everybody,
16 hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.
trying to prevent us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved—so as to fill up the measure of their sins. They have received the full impact of the Wrath).
17 Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense.
Now we, brothers, having been bereaved of you for a short season (in presence, not in heart), made every effort to see your face, from intense longing.
18 For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.
(We actually tried to come to you—I, Paul, time and again—but Satan thwarted us.)
19 After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Is it not precisely you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
20 You are indeed our glory and our joy.
Indeed, you are our glory and our joy.
