1 Thessalonians 2
1 Yes, Brothers, you yourselves know that your reception of us was not without result.
For ye yourselves, brethren, know our entrance among you, that it was not in vain.
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.
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 Our appeal to you was not based on a delusion, nor was it made from unworthy motives, or with any intention of misleading you.
For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of impurity, nor in guile:
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 men, but God who proves our hearts.
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 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.
For neither at any time used we flattering speech, as ye know, nor covetous pretence, God is witness:
6 Nor did we seek to win honour from men, whether from you or from others, although, as Apostles of Christ, we might have burdened you with our support.
nor sought we glory of men, neither of you, nor of others: though we might have expected maintenance, as the apostles of Christ.
7 But we lived among you with the simplicity of a child; we were like a woman nursing her own children.
But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
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 very lives as well — so dear had you become to us.
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 You will not have forgotten, Brothers, 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.
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 will bear witness, and God also, that our relations with you who believed in Christ were pure, and upright, and beyond reproach.
Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and unblameably we behaved towards you that believe:
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;
as ye know likewise, how we exhorted and comforted every one of you, as a father his children;
12 so that you should make your daily lives worthy of God who is calling you into the glory of his Kingdom.
and charged you, that ye should walk worthy of God, who hath called you to his kingdom and glory.
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 man, but as what it really is — the teaching of God, which is even now doing its work within you who believe in Christ.
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 For you, Brothers, 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 the Jews —
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 The 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 mankind,
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 for they would prevent us from speaking to the Gentiles with a view to their Salvation, and thus are always ‘filling up the measure of their iniquity.’ But the Wrath of God has come upon them to the full!
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 As for ourselves, Brothers, 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 upon us.
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 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.
Wherefore we would have come unto you (even I Paul) once and again; but Satan hindered us.
19 For what hope or joy will be ours, or what crown shall we have to boast of, in the presence of our Lord Jesus, at his Coming, if it be not you?
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 You are our pride and our delight!
for ye are our glory and our joy.
