1 Thessalonians 2

Paul Remembers His Visit

1You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters,#2:1 Greek brothers; also in 2:9, 14, 17. that our visit to you was not a failure. 2You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. 3So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery.

4For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. 5Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! 6As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else.

7As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children#2:7 Some manuscripts read we were gentle. among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. 8We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

9Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you. 10You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. 11And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. 12We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.

13Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.

14And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God’s churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews. 15For some of the Jews killed the prophets, and some even killed the Lord Jesus. Now they have persecuted us, too. They fail to please God and work against all humanity 16as they try to keep us from preaching the Good News of salvation to the Gentiles. By doing this, they continue to pile up their sins. But the anger of God has caught up with them at last.

Timothy’s Good Report about the Church

17Dear brothers and sisters, after we were separated from you for a little while (though our hearts never left you), we tried very hard to come back because of our intense longing to see you again. 18We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us. 19After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! 20Yes, you are our pride and joy.

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1 Thessalonians 2: NLT

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I Thessalonians 2

Paul’s Conduct

1For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at #Acts 14:5; 16:19–24; Phil. 1:30Philippi, as you know, we were #Acts 17:1–9bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. 3#2 Cor. 7:2For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.

4But as #1 Cor. 7:25we have been approved by God #Titus 1:3to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, #Gal. 1:10not as pleasing men, but God #Prov. 17:3who tests our hearts. 5For #2 Cor. 2:17neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—#Rom. 1:9; 1 Thess. 2:10God is witness. 6#1 Tim. 5:17Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when #1 Cor. 9:4we might have #2 Cor. 11:9made demands #1 Cor. 9:1as apostles of Christ. 7But #1 Cor. 2:3we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased #Rom. 1:11to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also #2 Cor. 12:15; 1 John 3:16our own lives, because you had become dear to us. 9For you remember, brethren, our #Acts 18:3; 20:34, 35; 1 Cor. 4:12; 2 Thess. 3:7, 8labor and toil; for laboring night and day, #2 Cor. 12:13that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

10#2 Cor. 1:12; 1 Thess. 1:5You are witnesses, and God also, #2 Cor. 7:2how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; 11as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12#Eph. 4:1; Col. 1:10that you would walk worthy of God #Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 1:9; 1 Thess. 5:24; 2 Thess. 2:14; (2 Tim. 1:9)who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Their Conversion

13For this reason we also thank God #Rom. 1:8; 1 Thess. 1:2, 3without ceasing, because when you #Mark 4:20received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it #(Matt. 10:20; Gal. 4:14)not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively #(1 Pet. 1:23)works in you who believe. 14For you, brethren, became imitators #Gal. 1:22of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For #Acts 17:5; 1 Thess. 3:4; 2 Thess. 1:4you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, 15#Luke 24:20; Acts 2:23who killed both the Lord Jesus and #Jer. 2:30; Matt. 5:12; 23:34, 35; Acts 7:52their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God #Esth. 3:8and are contrary to all men, 16#Luke 11:52forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always #Gen. 15:16; Dan. 8:23; Matt. 23:32to fill up the measure of their sins; #Matt. 24:6but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

Longing to See Them

17But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time #1 Cor. 5:3in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. 18Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but #Rom. 1:13; 15:22Satan hindered us. 19For #2 Cor. 1:14what is our hope, or joy, or #Prov. 16:31crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the #Jude 24presence of our Lord Jesus Christ #1 Cor. 15:23at His coming? 20For you are our glory and joy.

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