1 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!
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
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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