Thessalonicenses I 2
1 nam ipsi scitis fratres introitum nostrum ad vos quia non inanis fuit
My fellow believers, you know that our time with you was very worthwhile/effective [LIT].
2 sed ante passi et contumeliis affecti sicut scitis in Philippis fiduciam habuimus in Deo nostro loqui ad vos evangelium Dei in multa sollicitudine
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 exhortatio enim nostra non de errore neque de inmunditia neque in dolo
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 sed sicut probati sumus a Deo ut crederetur nobis evangelium ita loquimur non quasi hominibus placentes sed Deo qui probat corda nostra
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 neque enim aliquando fuimus in sermone adulationis sicut scitis neque in occasione avaritiae Deus testis est
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 nec quaerentes ab hominibus gloriam neque a vobis neque ab aliis
We never tried to get people [to honor us],
7 cum possimus oneri esse ut Christi apostoli sed facti sumus lenes in medio vestrum tamquam si nutrix foveat filios suos
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 ita desiderantes vos cupide volebamus tradere vobis non solum evangelium Dei sed etiam animas nostras quoniam carissimi nobis facti estis
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 memores enim estis fratres laborem nostrum et fatigationem nocte et die operantes ne quem vestrum gravaremus praedicavimus in vobis evangelium Dei
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 vos testes estis et Deus quam sancte et iuste et sine querella vobis qui credidistis fuimus
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 sicut scitis qualiter unumquemque vestrum tamquam pater filios suos
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 deprecantes vos et consolantes testificati sumus ut ambularetis digne Deo qui vocavit vos in suum regnum et gloriam
[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 ideo et nos gratias agimus Deo sine intermissione quoniam cum accepissetis a nobis verbum auditus Dei accepistis non ut verbum hominum sed sicut est vere verbum Dei qui operatur in vobis qui credidistis
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 vos enim imitatores facti estis fratres ecclesiarum Dei quae sunt in Iudaea in Christo Iesu quia eadem passi estis et vos a contribulibus vestris sicut et ipsi a Iudaeis
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 qui et Dominum occiderunt Iesum et prophetas et nos persecuti sunt et Deo non placent et omnibus hominibus adversantur
[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 prohibentes nos gentibus loqui ut salvae fiant ut impleant peccata sua semper praevenit autem ira Dei super illos usque in finem
[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 nos autem fratres desolati a vobis ad tempus horae aspectu non corde abundantius festinavimus faciem vestram videre cum multo desiderio
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 quoniam voluimus venire ad vos ego quidem Paulus et semel et iterum et inpedivit nos Satanas
[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 quae est enim nostra spes aut gaudium aut corona gloriae nonne vos ante Dominum nostrum Iesum estis in adventu eius
[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 vos enim estis gloria nostra et gaudium
Indeed, it is because of you that [even now we] are pleased and joyful!
