1 Thessalonians 2
1 Yes, friends, you yourselves know that your reception of us was not without result.
兄弟姐妹们，你们都知道，我们的造访对你们意味着什么，那并不是浪费时间。
2 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.
你们应该记得，虽然我们在腓立比受了那么多苦和凌辱，面对强烈的反对，我们仍然通过上帝的帮助，与你们分享上帝的福音。
3 Our appeal to you was not based on a delusion, nor was it made from unworthy motives, or with any intention of misleading you.
因为我们所说的并非欺骗，不是污秽或诡诈。
4 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.
相反，我们所说的一切都获得了上帝的批准，他把福音委托给我们。我们的目的不是取悦人，而是取悦上帝，他在评判我们的动机。
5 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.
你们知道，我们从来不说奉承之语，也从不会故起贪婪自私之心，上帝可以作证。
6 Nor did we seek to win honour from people, whether from you or from others, although, as apostles of Christ, we might have burdened you with our support.
我们并非想要赢得其他人的赞美，不是你们，也不是任何人。作为基督的使者，我们本来会成为你们的“负担。”
7 But we lived among you with the simplicity of a child; we were like a woman nursing her own children.
但我们在你们中，我们却像母亲照顾自己的孩子一样善良行事。
8 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.
我们如此爱你们，不但原意把上帝的福音传给你们，甚至连我们自己也乐意给你们，因为我们爱你们。
9 You will not have forgotten, friends, our labour 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.
兄弟姐妹们，别忘记我们所有的辛劳，日夜不停地工作，就是为了在与你们分享上帝的福音时，不会成为你们的负担。
10 You will bear witness, and God also, that our relations with you who believed in Christ were pure, and upright, and beyond reproach.
我们以公正、无可指责的圣洁态度对待你们，我们的行为你们可以佐证，上帝也可以作证。
11 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;
你们知道我们如何关爱你们所有人，就像父亲对待儿女一样。我们鼓励你们、安慰你们、分享我们的经历，
12 so that you should make your daily lives worthy of God who is calling you into the glory of his kingdom.
让你们可以像上帝希望的那样生活，这上帝召唤你们走进他的王国和荣耀。
13 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.
此外：我们一直在感谢上帝，当你们听到并接受上帝之道，你们没有把它们当做人类之道，而是真正的上帝之道。相信上帝，就会产生这样的效果。
14 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 –
兄弟姐妹们，你们的经历就像位于犹太地的上帝教会一样，这些教会属于耶稣基督。就像你们的犹太基督徒教友一样，他们遭受犹太领袖的迫害，
15 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,
那些领袖杀了耶稣和众先知，又把我们赶出来。他们得不到上帝的喜悦，与所有的人作对，
16 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!
试图阻挠我们向其他国家传道，不让他们得救。他们始终充满最大的恶，但所有的审判必将降临到他们身上。
17 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.
兄弟姐妹们，因为有一段时间没有见到你们，我们感觉好像经历了一次与家人的离别，但这离别只是身体离开，而不是精神。我们非常渴望再次亲自见到你们，这就是我们想要做的。
18 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.
我们非常想造访你们，我保罗试过很多次，只是撒旦阻挡了我们。
19 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?
但正是你们给了我们希望，让我们感到幸福，当主耶稣再次降临，当我们站在他面前，我们会因你们而感到骄傲！
20 You are our pride and our delight!
你们就是我们的荣耀和欢喜！
