1 Thessalonians 2
2
Godly Character of Jesus’ Servants
1My dear brothers and sisters, it’s obvious that our ministry among you has proven to be fruitful. # 2:1 Or “Our coming to you has not been in vain” (empty). See Acts 17:1–9. 2And though we had already suffered greatly in Philippi, where we were shamefully mistreated, # 2:2 Paul and Silas had been beaten and imprisoned in Philippi. See Acts 16:11–17:1. we were emboldened by faith in our God to fearlessly preach his wonderful gospel to you in spite of incredible opposition.
3Our coming alongside you to encourage you was not out of some delusion, or impure motive, or an intention to mislead you, 4but we have been approved by God to be those who preach the gospel. So our motivation to preach is not pleasing people but pleasing God, who thoroughly examines our hearts. 5God is our witness that when we came to encourage you, we never once used cunning compliments as a pretext for greed, 6nor did we crave the praises of men, whether you or others. # 2:6 Paul never watered down his message in preaching the gospel. His fearless courage serves as an example to us today to keep our message uncompromised. 7Even though we could have imposed upon you our demands as apostles of Christ, # 2:7 The Aramaic can be translated “Although we could have been honored as apostles of the Messiah.” See also 1 Cor. 9:1–18; Philem. 8. instead we showed you kindness and were gentle among you. # 2:7 Some reliable manuscripts have “We became like little children (infants) among you.” We cared for you in the same way a nursing mother cares for her own children. 8With a mother’s love and affectionate attachment to you, we were very happy to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our lives—because you had become so dear to us. # 2:8 Or “You had become our beloved.” Just a few months before, the Thessalonians were complete strangers to Paul. Now he states how dear they had become to his heart. True ministry is caring for others with a father’s love and a mother’s love—not exerting control or abusive authority over those whom we serve.
9Beloved brothers and sisters, surely you remember how hard we labored among you. We worked night and day so that we would not become a burden to you while we preached the wonderful gospel of God. 10With God as our witness you saw how we lived among you—in holiness, in godly relationships, # 2:10 Or “righteousness.” The Hebraic concept of righteousness extends toward our relationships and how we treat others. Paul stated that he lived in holiness toward God and purity in his relationships with others, so that no one could blame him for wrongdoing. and without fault. 11And you know how affectionately we treated each one of you, like a loving father cares for his own children. 12We comforted and encouraged you and challenged you to adopt a lifestyle worthy of God, who invites you into his kingdom and glory. # 2:12 Our calling is a summons from God to enter into his glory. A possible hendiadys, “his own glorious kingdom.”
The Faithfulness of the Thessalonians
13This is why we continually thank God for your lives, because you received our message wholeheartedly. You embraced it not as the fabrication of men but as the word of God. And the word continues to be an energizing force in you who believe.
14My dear brothers and sisters, the same thing happened to you as happened to God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you received the same kind of mistreatment from your fellow countrymen as they did from theirs, the Jews 15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and ran us out of town. They are offending God and hostile to everyone else 16by hindering us from speaking to the unbelievers # 2:16 Or “the gentiles.” so that they might be saved. By so doing they are constantly filling up to the brim the measure of their guilt, # 2:16 That is, they are filling up to the limit of their sins before God. and punishment # 2:16 Or “wrath,” a metonymy for the punishment resulting from their sins. has come upon them at last! # 2:16 Or “completely” (to a full extent). This could be a prophetic word from Paul regarding the soon destruction of Jerusalem in the Roman war of AD 67–70. Paul is not referring to all Jews, for many had become converts and made up the early church. God rejected the empty rituals of Judaism but not the Jewish people. See Rom. 9–11.
Paul’s Concern for the Thessalonians
17Beloved friends, we may have been torn away # 2:17 Or “We have been [like] orphans.” from you physically for a season, but never in our hearts. For we have had intense longings and have endeavored to come and see in your faces the reflection of this great love. # 2:17 As translated from the Aramaic. How poetic are the Semitic languages! 18We miss you badly, and I personally wanted to come to you, trying again and again, but our adversary, # 2:18 The Greek word satanas means “adversary,” “accuser,” “opposer,” and it is the title for Satan. In some way Satan worked to hinder Paul from returning to Thessalonica, possibly through the Jews who opposed him. Satan, blocked our way. 19For what will be our confident hope, our exhilarating joy, or our wonderful trophy # 2:19 Or “crown of boasting.” that we will boast in before our Lord Jesus at his appearing? # 2:19 This is the Greek word parousia, which can be translated “coming” or “appearing.” Paul uses it six times in his letters to the Thessalonians (3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2 Thess. 2:1, 8). It is you! 20Yes, you are our glorious pride and joy! # 2:20 The true reward of ministry is not money or fame but the souls of men and women we can influence for the glory of God.
Currently Selected:
1 Thessalonians 2: TPT
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Learn More About The Passion Translation1 Thessalonians 2
2
Paul's Work in Thessalonica
1My friends, you know our time with you wasn't wasted. 2#Ac 16.19-24; Ac 17.1-9. As you remember, we had been mistreated and insulted at Philippi. But God gave us the courage to tell you the good news about him, even though many people caused us trouble. 3We didn't have any hidden motives when we won you over, and we didn't try to fool or trick anyone. 4God was pleased to trust us with his message. We didn't speak to please people, but to please God who knows our motives.
5You also know we didn't try to flatter anyone. God himself knows what we did wasn't a cover-up for greed. 6We were not trying to get you or anyone else to praise us. 7But as apostles, we could have demanded help from you. After all, Christ is the one who sent us. We chose to be like children or like a mother#2.7 like children or like a mother: Some manuscripts have “as gentle as a mother.” nursing her baby. 8We cared so much for you, and you became so dear to us, that we were willing to give our lives for you when we gave you God's message.
9My dear friends, you surely haven't forgotten our hard work and hardships. You remember how night and day we struggled to make a living, so we could tell you God's message without being a burden to anyone. 10Both you and God are witnesses that we were pure and honest and innocent in our dealings with you followers of the Lord. 11You also know we did everything for you that parents would do for their own children. 12We begged, encouraged, and urged each of you to live in a way that would honor God. He is the one who chose you to share in his own kingdom and glory.
13We always thank God that you believed the message we preached. It came from him, and it isn't something made up by humans. You accepted it as God's message, and now he is working in you. 14#Ac 17.5. My friends, you did just like God's churches in Judea and like the other followers of Christ Jesus there. And so, you were mistreated by your own people, in the same way they were mistreated by their people.
15 #
Ac 9.23,29; 13.45,50; 14.2,5,19; 17.5,13; 18.12. Those evil people killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and they even chased us away. God doesn't like what they do and neither does anyone else. 16They keep us from speaking his message to the Gentiles and from leading them to be saved. They have always gone too far with their sins. Now God has finally become angry and will punish them.
Paul Wants To Visit the Church Again
17My friends, we were kept from coming to you for a while, but we never stopped thinking about you. We were eager to see you and tried our best to visit you in person. 18We really wanted to come. I myself tried several times, but Satan always stopped us. 19After all, when the Lord Jesus appears, who else but you will give us hope and joy and be like a glorious crown for us? 20You alone are our glory and joy!
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.