1 Thessalonians 2
1 For you have known, brothers, that our entrance to you has not been in vain,
For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not useless.
2 but having both suffered before, and having been mistreated (as you have known) in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the good news of God in much conflict,
You know that we previously suffered and were shamefully treated at Philippi. We were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much struggling.
3 for our exhortation [is] not out of deceit, nor out of uncleanness, nor in guile,
For our exhortation was not from error, nor from impurity, nor from deceit.
4 but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the good news, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who is proving our hearts,
Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be trusted with the gospel, so we speak. We speak, not to please men, but to please God. He is the one who examines our hearts.
5 for at no time did we come with speech of flattery (as you have known), nor in a pretext for covetousness (God [is] witness),
For we never used words of flattery, as you know, nor as an excuse to cover up greed— God is our witness.
6 nor seeking glory from men, neither from you nor from others, being able to be burdensome, as Christ’s apostles.
Nor did we seek glory from people, either from you or from others. We could have claimed privileges as apostles of Christ.
7 But we became gentle in your midst, as a nurse may nurture her own children,
Instead, we were as gentle among you as a mother comforting her own children.
8 so being desirous of you, we are well-pleased to impart to you not only the good news of God, but also our own souls, because you have become beloved to us,
In this way we had affection for you. We were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives. For you had become very dear to us.
9 for you remember, brothers, our labor and travail, for working night and day not to be a burden on any of you, we preached the good news of God to you;
For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil. Night and day we were working so that we might not weigh down any of you. During that time, we preached to you the gospel of God.
10 you [are] witnesses—God also—how piously and righteously and blamelessly we became to you who believe,
You are witnesses, and God also, how holy, righteous, and blameless was our behavior toward you who believe.
11 even as you have known how we are exhorting each one of you, as a father his own children, and comforting, and testifying,
In the same way you know how we dealt with each one of you as a father deals with his own children.
12 for your walking worthily of God, who is calling you to His own kingdom and glory.
We were begging you and encouraging and urging you to walk in a manner that is worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
13 And because of this we also continually give thanks to God, that, having received the word of God [by] your hearing from us, you accepted, not the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, who also works in you who believe;
For this reason we also thank God constantly. For when you received from us God's message that you heard, you accepted it not as the word of man. Instead, you received it as it truly is, the word of God. It is this word that is also at work among you who believe.
14 for you became imitators, brothers, of the assemblies of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you suffered such things, even you, from your own countrymen, as they also from the Jews,
For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, as they did from the Jews.
15 who put to death both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and persecuted us, and they are not pleasing God, and [are] contrary to all men,
It was the Jews who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets. It was the Jews who drove us out. They do not please God. Instead, they are hostile to all people.
16 forbidding us to speak to the nations that they might be saved, so as to always fill up their sins, but [God’s] anger came on them—to the end!
They forbid us to speak to the Gentiles for them to be saved. The result is that they always fill up their own sins. Wrath must come on them in the end.
17 And we, brothers, having been taken from you for the space of an hour—in presence, not in heart—hurried more abundantly to see your face in much desire;
We were separated from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart. We were especially eager, with great desire, to see your face.
18 for this reason we wished to come to you (I, indeed, Paul), both once and again, and Satan hindered us;
For we wished to come to you—I, Paul, wished to come to you once and again—but Satan stopped us.
19 for what [is] our hope, or joy, or garland of rejoicing? Are not even you before our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of pride in front of our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you just as much as others?
20 For you are our glory and joy.
For you are our glory and our joy.
