1 Thessalonians 2
1 My fellow believers, you know that our time with you was very worthwhile/effective [LIT].
For ye yourselves, brethren, know our entrance among you, that it was not in vain.
2 Although [people] in Philippi [city] previously mistreated us [(exc)] and insulted us, as you know, our God caused us to be courageous. As a result, we told you the good message [that originates/comes from] God, even though some [people in your city] also strongly (opposed [us/tried to prevent us from telling God’s message]).
But though we had suffered before and been injuriously treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we spake boldly in the name of our God to declare unto you the gospel of God with much conflict.
3 When we exhorted/urged (OR, tried to convince) [you to obey God’s message], we did not tell you an untrue message. Instead, we told you a true message. We do not [want to get something for ourselves] by immoral means. We do not try to deceive [you or other people].
For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of impurity, nor in guile:
4 On the contrary, we tell God’s message because he trusted us to do that, because he examined us and considered us [to be acceptable to tell people] the message about Christ. As we teach people, we do not say what they like to hear. Instead, [we say what] God [wants us to say, because] he examines everything that we think and what we desire.
but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who trieth our hearts.
5 We never (flattered you/said nice things about you insincerely), as you know. We were never greedy, so we never needed to use words to (hide greediness [from you/cause you to think that we were not greedy]). God knows that this is true!
For neither at any time used we flattering speech, as ye know, nor covetous pretence, God is witness:
6 We never tried to get people [to honor us],
nor sought we glory of men, neither of you, nor of others: though we might have expected maintenance, as the apostles of Christ.
7 although we could have demanded [that you should honor/respect us], because we are apostles [who represent] (OR, [speak for]) Christ. On the contrary, we were gentle when we were among you, as a mother [gently] takes care of her own children [SIM].
But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
8 So, because we love you, we were delighted to personally tell you the good message that God [gave us]. But also we were delighted to lovingly do all that we could do to help you [SYN] because (you had become very dear to us/we had begun to love you very much).
so we, being affectionately desirous of you, were willing to impart to you, not only the gospel of God, but even our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
9 My fellow believers, you remember that we worked very hard [DOU] [in order to] ([support ourselves/earn money to buy what we needed]) [while we were with you]. We worked [during the] day and [also at] night in order that we would not have to ask any one of you to give us what we needed, [while] we proclaimed to you the good message that God [gave us].
For ye remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for working night and day, that we might not be burthensome to any of you, we preached among you the gospel of God.
10 You know that it is true, and God knows that it is true, that we conducted our lives in a very pure, right, and faultless [DOU] manner toward you believers.
Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and unblameably we behaved towards you that believe:
11 You know also that [we lovingly behaved/acted toward] each one of you, just like a father [lovingly behaves/acts toward] his own children [SIM].
as ye know likewise, how we exhorted and comforted every one of you, as a father his children;
12 [Specifically, we] kept strongly exhorting/urging and encouraging you that you conduct your lives in the way that God’s people should, [because] he has invited you to become his people over whom he will rule in a wonderful way [HEN].
and charged you, that ye should walk worthy of God, who hath called you to his kingdom and glory.
13 We also continually thank God because when you heard the message [that] we told to you, you accepted it as the true message, the good message that God [gave to us]. We did not invent it. [We also thank God] that he is changing your lives because you trust this message [PRS].
For this also we thank God continually, that when ye received the word of God, which ye heard from us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which also worketh effectually in you that believe.
14 My fellow believers, we [know that you sincerely believed the message from God], because the manner in which you acted was just like the manner in which [the congregations] in Judea acted. They also [worship] God, [and they] ([have a close relationship with/are united to]) Christ Jesus. Specifically, you endured it [when] your own countrymen [mistreated you because you believe the message from God], in the same manner that those [Jewish believers in Judea] endured it [when] the Jews [who do not believe in Christ mistreated them].
For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God, which are in Judea, in Christ Jesus, in that ye also have suffered the same things from your own countrymen, as they have from the Jews:
15 [Unbelieving Jews are] the ones whom God considers guilty [for] killing the Lord Jesus, as well as [for killing] many prophets. Other unbelieving Jews forced us to leave [many towns]. They really make God angry; and [they are] opposed to [what is best for] all human beings!
who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; who are displeasing to God, and contrary to all men:
16 [Specifically], when we tell [the good message] to non-Jewish people in order that they can be saved {[that God] will save them} [spiritually], these [unbelieving Jews] try to stop/prevent us from doing that. Because they continually sin more and more, they are almost reaching the limit that has been [set by God] [MET]! [God] will soon punish them [MTY], at last, for all their sins!
forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, thus going on to fill up their sins perpetually: but wrath is coming upon them to extremity.
17 My fellow believers, when for a short time [IDM] [those people forced us to be separated] from you, [we felt like parents] (who had lost all their children/whose children had died) [MET]. [Although] we were far away from you, [we were still] emotionally [concerned about you], and we strongly desired to be present with you.
But we, brethren, being separated from you for a season, in person not in heart, endeavoured the more earnestly to see you again with much desire.
18 [You can know that] we wanted to return to you. Indeed I, Paul, [tried to return] twice [IDM]. But [we did not return because] each time Satan [prevented us from returning].
Wherefore we would have come unto you (even I Paul) once and again; but Satan hindered us.
19 [We were strongly desiring to be with you], because truly you [RHQ] [are the ones about whom we are proud and joyful]! It is because we are confident that you [will] ([remain faithful/continue believing in God]) that we [will be] joyful! You are the ones who we confidently expect [will keep strongly trusting in God!] It is because you [will] ([remain faithful/continue believing in God]) that we [will] be proud [of the work that we have done] [MET, RHQ] [when] our Lord Jesus [examines what we all have done, at the time] when he comes back [to earth]!
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting? are not ye also among others in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
20 Indeed, it is because of you that [even now we] are pleased and joyful!
for ye are our glory and our joy.
