1 Thessalonians 2
2
Paul’s Conduct
1For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit#Ac 17:1–9 with you was not without result. 2On the contrary, after we had previously suffered#Ac 16:19–24 and were treated outrageously in Philippi,#Php 1:1 as you know, we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition. 3For our exhortation didn’t come from error or impurity#1Th 4:7 or an intent to deceive.#Ps 10:7 4Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted#Lk 16:11 with the gospel,#Ac 15:7; Gl 2:7; 1Tm 1:11 so we speak, not to please people, but rather God,#Jn 5:44; 12:43; 1Co 4:5; 2Co 10:18; Gl 1:10; Php 3:19; 1Th 2:15; 1Pt 3:4 who examines our hearts.#Ps 17:3; Pr 21:2; Rm 8:27 5For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedy#Eph 5:3 motives#Mk 12:40; Lk 20:47; Jn 15:22; Ac 27:30; Php 1:18 — God is our witness#Rm 1:9 — 6and we didn’t seek glory#Php 3:19 from people, either from you or from others. 7Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles,#Ac 1:2; Jd 17 instead we were gentle#2:7 Many mss read infants among you, as a nurse#2:7 Or nursing mother nurtures her own children. 8We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. 9For you remember our labor and hardship, brothers and sisters. Working#2Jn 8 night and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you. 10You are witnesses,#Rm 1:9 and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously,#Ti 2:12 and blamelessly#1Th 5:23 we conducted ourselves with you believers. 11As you know, like a father with his own children,#1Co 4:14; Gl 4:19; 1Tm 1:2; Phm 10 12we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God,#3Jn 6 who calls you into his own kingdom#Mk 1:15; Ac 20:25 and glory.#Lk 9:32; 24:26; Jn 17:24; 2Co 3:18; 1Pt 5:1; 2Pt 3:18
Reception and Opposition to the Message
13This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is,#2Th 3:1 the word of God,#Lk 8:21 which also works effectively in you who believe. 14For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea,#Lk 1:5 since you have also suffered#Php 1:29 the same things from people of your own country,#Ac 17:5 just as they did from the Jews 15who killed the Lord Jesus#Lk 24:20 and the prophets and persecuted us.#Rm 11:3 They displease God and are hostile to everyone, 16by keeping us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. As a result, they are constantly filling up their sins to the limit,#Mt 23:30–32 and wrath has overtaken them at last.#2:16 Or to the end
Paul’s Desire to See Them
17But as for us, brothers and sisters, after we were forced to leave you#2:17 Lit orphaned from you for a short time (in person, not in heart#Col 2:5), we greatly desired and made every effort to return#1Th 3:10 and see you face to face. 18So we wanted to come to you — even I, Paul, time and again — but Satan#Mt 4:1,10; Ac 13:10 hindered us. 19For who is our hope or joy#Jn 15:11; 2Co 6:10 or crown#Rv 12:1 of boasting#2Co 12:5; Jms 4:16 in the presence of our Lord#Rv 11:8 Jesus at his coming?#1Th 1:10; 1Jn 2:28 Is it not you?#1Co 15:31; 2Co 1:14; Php 4:1; 2Th 1:4 20Indeed you are our glory#Jn 12:43; Php 3:19 and joy!
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
1 Thessalonians 2
2
Paul’s Work in Thessalonica
1Brothers and sisters, you know that our visit to you was not a failure. 2Before we came to you, people in Philippi abused us with insults and made us suffer. You know all about that. And then, when we came to you, many people there caused trouble for us. But our God gave us the courage we needed to tell you his Good News. 3When we encourage people to believe the Good News, it’s not out of wrong motives. We are not trying to trick or fool anyone. 4No, we did it because God is the one who gave us this work. And this was only after he tested us and saw that we could be trusted to do it. So when we speak, we are only trying to please God, not anyone else. He is the one who can see what is in our hearts.
5You know that we never tried to influence you by saying nice things about you. We were not trying to get your money. We had no greed to hide from you. God knows that this is true. 6We were not looking for praise from people—not from you or anyone else.
7When we were with you, as apostles of Christ we could have used our authority to make you help us. But we were very gentle#2:7 But … gentle Several Greek copies have “But we became babies.” with you. We were like a mother caring for her little children. 8We loved you very much, so we were happy to share God’s Good News with you. But not only that—we were also happy to share even our own lives with you. 9Brothers and sisters, I know that you remember how hard we worked. We worked night and day to support ourselves, so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we did the work of telling you God’s Good News.
10When we were there with you believers, we were pure, honest, and without fault in the way we lived. You know, just as God does, that this is true. 11You know that we treated each one of you the way a father treats his own children. 12We encouraged you, we comforted you, and we told you to live good lives for God. He calls you to be part of his glorious kingdom.
13Also, we always thank God because of the way you accepted his message. You heard it and accepted it as God’s message, not our own. And it really is God’s message. And it works in you who believe. 14Brothers and sisters, you are just like God’s churches in Judea.#2:14 Judea The Jewish land where Jesus lived and taught and where the church first began. I mean that you were treated badly by your own people, just as those believers in Christ Jesus were treated badly by other Jews— 15the same Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets. And they forced us to leave their country. They are not pleasing to God, and they are against everyone else. 16And they are trying to stop us from teaching those who are not Jews. They don’t want them to be saved. But they are just adding more and more sins to the ones they already have. Now the time has come for them to suffer God’s anger.
Paul’s Desire to Visit Them Again
17Brothers and sisters, we were separated from you for a short time. But even though we were not there, our thoughts were still with you. We wanted very much to see you, and we tried very hard to do this. 18Yes, we wanted to come to you. I, Paul, tried more than once to come, but Satan stopped us. 19You are our hope, our joy, and the crown we will be proud of when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 20You bring us honor and joy.
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