1 Thessalonians 2
1 For you know, brethren, our coming unto you, that it was not in vain:
Yes, friends, you yourselves know that your reception of us was not without result.
2 but having suffered, and been abused, as you know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.
For, although we had experienced suffering and ill treatment, as you know, at Philippi, we had the courage, by the help of our God, to tell you God’s good news in spite of great opposition.
3 For our exhortation was not from delusion, nor from impurity, nor in guile:
Our appeal to you was not based on a delusion, nor was it made from unworthy motives, or with any intention of misleading you.
4 but as we were approved of God that the gospel should be intrusted unto us, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who is proving our hearts,
But, having been found worthy by God to be entrusted with the good news, therefore we tell it; with a view to please, not people, but God who proves our hearts.
5 For at that time we were not in word of flattery, as you know, nor in a pretext of covetousness, God is our witness;
Never at any time, as you know, did we use the language of flattery, or make false professions in order to hide selfish aims. God will bear witness to that.
6 nor seeking glory from men, nor from you, nor from others, being able to be burdensome, as the apostles of Christ;
Nor did we seek to win honor from people, whether from you or from others, although, as apostles of Christ, we might have burdened you with our support.
7 but we were gentle in the midst of you, as if a nurse may cherish her children;
But we lived among you with the simplicity of a child; we were like a woman nursing her own children.
8 being so desirous of you, that we are anxious not only to give the gospel of God, but our own souls, because you are beloved unto us.
In our strong affection for you, that seemed to us the best way of sharing with you, not only God’s good news, but our lives as well – so dear had you become to us.
9 For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil: night and day working, that we should burden no one of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
You will not have forgotten, friends, our labor and toil. Night and day we used to work at our trades, so as not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you God’s good news.
10 You are witnesses, and God, how sacredly and righteously and blamelessly we were unto you who believed:
You will bear witness, and God also, that our relations with you who believed in Christ were pure, and upright, and beyond reproach.
11 as you know, exhorting each one of you, as a father of his own children, and comforting you,
Indeed, you know that, like a father with his own children, we used to encourage and comfort every one of you, and solemnly plead with you;
12 and testifying, that you walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
so that you should make your daily lives worthy of God who is calling you into the glory of his kingdom.
13 And on account of this we also give thanks to God incessantly, because, receiving the word of God from us by hearing, you received it not as the word of men, but, as it truly is, the word of God, who indeed works in you who believe.
This, too, is a reason why we, on our part, are continually thanking God – because, in receiving the teaching that you had from us, you accepted it, not as the teaching of humans, but as what it really is – the teaching of God, which is even now doing its work within you who believe in Christ.
14 For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Jesus Christ: because you suffered the same things from your fellow tribes, as they also from the Jews;
For you, friends, began to follow the example of the churches of God in Judea which are in union with Jesus Christ; you, in your turn, suffering at the hands of your fellow citizens, in the same way as those churches did at the hands of their people –
15 who even killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and persecuted us, and are displeasing to God, and hostile to all men;
who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and persecuted us also. They do not try to please God, and they are enemies to all humanity,
16 forbidding that we should speak to the Gentiles in order that they may be saved; that they may fill up their sins always: but the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
for they try to prevent us from speaking to the Gentiles with a view to their salvation, and so are always filling up the measure of their iniquity. But the wrath of God has come upon them to the full!
17 But, brethren, we having been absent from you for the space of an hour, in presence, not in heart, we were the more exceedingly anxious to see your face with much desire.
As for ourselves, friends, our having been bereaved of you even for a short time – though in body only, and not in spirit – made us all the more eager to see your faces again; and the longing to do so was strong on us.
18 Because we wish to come to you, I Paul indeed both once and twice; and Satan hindered me.
That was why we made up our minds to go and see you – at least I, Paul, did, more than once – but Satan put difficulties in our way.
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing, except you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
For what hope or joy will be ours, or what crown will we have to boast of, in the presence of our Lord Jesus, at his coming, if it isn’t you?
20 For you are our glory and joy.
You are our pride and our delight!
