1You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results.2We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.3For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.4On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.5You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed – God is our witness.6We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.7Instead, we were like young children[1] among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children,8so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.9Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.13And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.14For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: you suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone16in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.[2]
Paul’s longing to see the Thessalonians
17But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.18For we wanted to come to you – certainly I, Paul, did, again and again – but Satan blocked our way.19For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?20Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
1 Thessalonians 2
English Standard Version
Paul’s Ministry to the Thessalonians
1For you yourselves know, brothers,[1] that our coming to you was not in vain. (1Th 1:9; 2Th 1:10)2But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. (Ac 4:13; Ac 16:22; Ac 17:2; Php 1:30)3For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, (2Co 2:17; 2Co 4:2; 1Th 4:7; 2Th 2:11)4but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. (Ps 17:3; Ro 8:27; Ga 1:10; Ga 2:7)5For we never came with words of flattery,[2] as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. (Ac 20:33; Ro 1:9; 1Th 2:10)6Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. (Joh 5:41; 1Co 9:1; 1Co 9:4; 2Co 4:5; 2Co 11:9; 1Th 2:9; 2Th 3:9; Phm 1:8)7But we were gentle[3] among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. (Isa 49:23; Isa 60:16; 1Co 14:20; 1Th 2:11; 2Ti 2:24)8So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. (2Co 12:15)9For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. (Ac 18:3; Php 4:16; 2Th 3:8)10You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. (1Th 1:5; 1Th 2:5)11For you know how, like a father with his children, (1Co 4:14; 1Th 2:7)12we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (Ro 8:28; Eph 4:1; Eph 4:17; 1Th 5:24; 2Th 2:14; 1Pe 5:10)13And we also thank God constantly[4] for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men[5] but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. (Mt 10:20; Ro 10:17; Ga 4:14; 1Th 1:2; Heb 4:12)14For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,[6] (Ac 17:5; 1Co 7:17; 1Th 1:6; 1Th 3:4; 2Th 1:4; Heb 10:33)15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind (Es 3:8; Jer 2:30; Mt 5:12; Mt 23:29; Lu 24:20)16by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last![7] (Ge 15:16; Ac 13:45; Ac 13:50; Ac 14:2; Ac 14:19; Ac 17:5; Ac 17:13; Ac 18:12; Ac 22:21; 1Th 1:10)