1 Thessalonians 2
1 Brothers and sisters, you yourselves know what our visit meant to you, and that it wasn't wasted!
Now you yourselves know, brothers, that our entrance to you did not happen without purpose.
2 You'll recall that after having had much trouble and bad treatment at Philippi, with the help of God we still dared to share God's good news with you, despite the opposition we faced.
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 what we speak about isn't deceptive, or worthless, or fraudulent.
Further, our exhortation does not spring from delusion or impurity, nor is it in deception,
4 On the contrary, we have God's approval for what we say—he's entrusted us with sharing the good news. We don't set out to please people, but God. He's the one who judges our motives.
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've never used flattering words. Nor were we covering up some greedy, selfish attitude—as God is our witness!
Further, you well know that we never used words to flatter, or to disguise greed (God is witness),
6 We weren't trying to win anybody's praise—not from you, nor anyone else. We could have become a “burden” to you as messengers of Christ,
or to seek glory from men (whether from you or from others)—as apostles of Christ we could have been ‘heavy’,
7 but instead we acted kindly among you, like a mother caring for her own children.
but we were gentle among you, like a nurse cherishing her own children.
8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not just God's good news, but also our very own selves, because you had become so dear 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 Don't you remember, brothers and sisters, all our hard work— working day and night so we wouldn't be a burden to any of you as we shared God's good news with you?
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 yourselves can testify as to how we acted, and God can too—how we treated you believers with a holy attitude, fairly and blamelessly.
You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe;
11 You know how we cared for every one of you like a father caring for his own children. We encouraged you, comforted you, and shared with you our experience
indeed, you know how we treated each one of you as a father does his own children, exhorting and comforting you,
12 so that you could live as God would want you to live—the God who calls you to 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 Another thing: we're always thanking God that when you heard and accepted the word of God, you didn't treat it as some human words, but what it truly is, the word of God. This is what is at work in those of you who trust in him.
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 The experience you brothers and sisters have had imitates that of God's churches that belong to Christ Jesus in Judaea. Just like your fellow Jewish Christians you suffered as they did at the hands of the Jewish leaders
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 the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and chased us out. They don't please God and they are hostile to everyone,
(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 trying to prevent us from speaking to the other nations to prevent them from being saved. They're always sinning to the maximum extent, but for them full judgment has arrived!
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 and sisters, since we felt as if we'd experienced a family separation because we hadn't seen you for a while (separated physically though not in spirit), we tried even harder to come and see you again face to face because that's what we wanted to do.
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 We really wanted to come and visit you, and I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan stopped us.
(We actually tried to come to you—I, Paul, time and again—but Satan thwarted us.)
19 For what gives us hope, what makes us happy, what we are really proud of as we stand before our Lord Jesus Christ when he comes back—is having you there too!
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 our pride and joy!
Indeed, you are our glory and our joy.
