1 Thessalonicher 2
1 Ihr wisset es selbst, Brüder, daß unser Auftreten bei euch nicht ein eitles war.
My fellow believers, you know that our time with you was very worthwhile/effective [LIT].
2 Vielmehr nach all dem Leiden und der Mißhandlung, die wir, wie ihr wisset, vorher in Philippi erduldet hatten, schöpften wir den Mut in unserem Gott, das Evangelium Gottes in schwerem Kampfe bei euch zu verkünden.
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]).
3 Unsere Ansprache kam nicht aus Schwärmerei, oder Unlauterkeit, noch geschah sie in Truglist;
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].
4 sondern da uns Gott gewürdigt hat, uns mit dem Evangelium zu betrauen, so reden wir, nicht Menschen zu Gefallen, sondern Gott, der unsere Herzen prüft.
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.
5 Wir haben es weder auf Schmeicheleien angelegt - Gott ist des Zeuge -
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!
6 noch suchten wir Ehre von Menschen, weder von euch noch von anderen;
We never tried to get people [to honor us],
7 wir konnten uns in die Brust werfen als Apostel Christus', aber wir traten unter euch auf so linde wie die nährende Mutter ihre Kinder hegt.
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].
8 So hat es uns zu euch gezogen, und getrieben, euch nicht nur das Evangelium Gottes darzubringen, sondern unser Leben; denn wir hatten euch lieb gewonnen.
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).
9 Ihr gedenket wohl noch, meine Brüder, unserer Mühe und Beschwerden; Tag und Nacht arbeiteten wir, um niemand zur Last zu fallen, während wir euch das Evangelium Gottes verkündeten.
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].
10 Ihr seid Zeugen und Gott ist Zeuge, wie fromm, gerecht und tadellos wir gegen euch Gläubige uns stellten,
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.
11 wie wir - ihr wisset es - als wie ein Vater für seine Kinder, für jeden einzelnen von euch hatten
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].
12 Mahnung und Ermunterung und Beschwörung, daß ihr möchtet würdig wandeln des Gottes, der euch berief zu seinem Reich und seiner Herrlichkeit.
[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].
13 Und darum danken auch wir Gott ohne Unterlaß dafür, daß ihr das Gotteswort, das ihr von uns zu hören bekamet, aufgenommen habt nicht als Menschenwort, sondern als das was es in Wahrheit ist, Gottes Wort, wie es sich auch wirksam erweist in euch die ihr glaubet.
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].
14 Seid ihr ja, Brüder, in die Nachfolge der Gemeinden Gottes in Christus Jesus in Judäa getreten; denn ihr habt ebenso gelitten von euren Volksgenossen, wie jene ihrerseits gelitten haben von den Juden;
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].
15 die den Herrn Jesus töteten ebenso wie die Propheten, und auch uns verfolgt haben, die Gott nicht gefallen und allen Menschen zuwider sind,
[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!
16 da sie uns verhindern wollen zu den Heiden zu reden, daß sie gerettet werden; auf daß sie ja mögen jederzeit ihre Sünden voll machen. Aber schon ist der Zorn Gottes über sie gekommen zum Ende.
[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!
17 Wir aber, meine Brüder, in unserer Verwaisung, ferne von euch für den Augenblick dem Angesicht, nicht dem Herzen nach, haben in großer Sehnsucht angelegentlich darauf gedacht, euch wieder von Angesicht zu sehen.
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.
18 Wir dachten also euch zu besuchen, ich Paulus einmal, zweimal; der Satan hat uns verhindert.
[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].
19 Denn wer ist, wenn ihr's nicht seid, uns Hoffnung, Freude, Ruhmeskranz vor unserem Herrn Jesus bei seiner Wiederkunft?
[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]!
20 Ihr seid unsere Ehre, unsere Freude.
Indeed, it is because of you that [even now we] are pleased and joyful!
