1 Thessalonians — Chapter 2

1You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain.

2As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.

3For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery.

4Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.

5As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!

6Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.

7On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children.

8We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.

9Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.

11For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children—

12encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

13And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe.

14For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews,

15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,

16hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.

17Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense.

18For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.

19After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

20You are indeed our glory and our joy.

1For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:

2But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

3For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

4But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

5For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:

6Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

7But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

8So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

9For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

10Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

11As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,

12That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

13For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

14For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

15Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

16Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

17But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

18Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

20For ye are our glory and joy.

1For yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto you, that it hath not been found vain:

2but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in much conflict.

3For our exhortation [is] not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

4but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts.

5For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness;

6nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.

7But we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own children:

8even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were become very dear to us.

9For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

10Ye are witnesses, and God [also], how holily and righteously and unblameably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe:

11as ye know how we [dealt with] each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging [you], and testifying,

12to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory.

13And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, [even the word] of God, ye accepted [it] not [as] the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe.

14For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews;

15who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove out us, and pleased not God, and are contrary to all men;

16forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always: but the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

17But we, brethren, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence not in heart, endeavored the more exceedingly to see your face with great desire:

18because we would fain have come unto you, I Paul once and again; and Satan hindered us.

19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

20For ye are our glory and our joy.

1For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, about our coming to you—it has not proven to be purposeless.

2But although we suffered earlier and were mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of much opposition.

3For the appeal we make does not come from error or impurity or with deceit,

4but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts.

5For we never appeared with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness—

6nor to seek glory from people, either from you or from others,

7although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead we became little children among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children,

8with such affection for you we were happy to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

9For you recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery: By working night and day so as not to impose a burden on any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

10You are witnesses, and so is God, as to how holy and righteous and blameless our conduct was toward you who believe.

11As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children,

12exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you live in a way worthy of God who calls you to his own kingdom and his glory.

13And so we too constantly thank God that when you received God’s message that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human message, but as it truly is, God’s message, which is at work among you who believe.

14For you became imitators, brothers and sisters, of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you too suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they in fact did from the Jews,

15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us severely. They are displeasing to God and are opposed to all people

16because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they constantly fill up their measure of sins, but wrath has come upon them completely.

17But when we were separated from you, brothers and sisters, for a short time (in presence, not in affection) we became all the more fervent in our great desire to see you in person.

18For we wanted to come to you (I, Paul, in fact tried again and again), but Satan thwarted us.

19For who is our hope or joy or crown to boast of before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not of course you?

20For you are our glory and joy!

1For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn’t in vain,

2but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.

3For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception.

4But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.

5For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),

6nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.

7But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

8Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.

9For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.

10You are witnesses with God, how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.

11As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children,

12to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.

13For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.

14For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews;

15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and didn’t please God, and are contrary to all men;

16forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.

17But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,

18because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.

19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

20For you are our glory and our joy.