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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1 Thessalonians 2: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
1 Thessalonians 2
2
1For yourselves have known, brethren, our entrance in unto you, that it did not become vain,
2but having both suffered before, and having been injuriously treated (as ye have known) in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the good news of God in much conflict,
3for our exhortation [is] not out of deceit, nor out of uncleanness, nor in guile,
4but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the good news, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who is proving our hearts,
5for at no time did we come with speech of flattery, (as ye have known,) nor in a pretext for covetousness, (God [is] witness!)
6nor seeking of men glory, neither from you nor from others, being able to be burdensome, as Christ's apostles.
7But we became gentle in your midst, as a nurse may cherish her own children,
8so being desirous of you, we are well-pleased to impart to you not only the good news of God, but also our own souls, because beloved ye have become to us,
9for ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail, for, night and day working not to be a burden upon any of you, we did preach to you the good news of God;
10ye [are] witnesses — God also — how kindly and righteously, and blamelessly to you who believe we became,
11even as ye have known, how each one of you, as a father his own children, we are exhorting you, and comforting, and testifying,
12for your walking worthily of God, who is calling you to His own reign and glory.
13Because of this also, we — we do give thanks to God continually, that, having received the word of hearing from us of God, ye accepted, not the word of man, but as it is truly, the word of God, who also doth work in you who believe;
14for ye became imitators, brethren, of the assemblies of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because such things ye suffered, even ye, from your own countrymen, as also they from the Jews,
15who did both put to death the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and did persecute us, and God they are not pleasing, and to all men [are] contrary,
16forbidding us to speak to the nations that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always, but the anger did come upon them — to the end!
17And we, brethren, having been taken from you for the space of an hour — in presence, not in heart — did hasten the more abundantly to see your face in much desire,
18wherefore we wished to come unto you, (I indeed Paul,) both once and again, and the Adversary did hinder us;
19for what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye before our Lord Jesus Christ in his presence?
20for ye are our glory and joy.
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