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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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
1 Thessalonians 2
2
1 Thessalonians 2
1¶ For you yourselves, brethren, know that our entrance unto you was not vain,
2but having suffered before and having been shamefully treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to announce unto you the gospel of God with much diligence.
3For our exhortation was not of error nor of uncleanness nor in guile,
4but because we have been approved of God that he might entrust us with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who tries our hearts.
5For we were never flatterers in the word, as ye know, nor tainted with covetousness, God is witness,
6nor did we seek glory of men neither of you nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome unto you as the apostles of Christ.
7¶ But we were gentle among you, as a mother feeding and caring for her children,
8loving you so much, that we were willing to give unto you, not only the gospel of God, but even our own souls, because ye are dear unto us.
9For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail, for labouring night and day, not to be a burden unto any of you, we preached among you the gospel of God.
10Ye are witnesses, and God also, of how holy and just and irreprehensible our behaviour was among you that believe,
11as ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father with his children,
12that ye would walk worthy of God, who has called you unto his kingdom and glory.
13¶ For this cause also we thank God without ceasing, that having received from us the word to hear from God, ye received it not as the word of men, (but as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually works in you that believe.
14For ye, brethren, have been imitators in Christ Jesus of the congregations {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of God which are in Judaea, for ye also have suffered like things of your own nation, even as they have of the Jews,
15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and have persecuted us, and they do not please God and are contrary to all men,
16forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up the measure of their sins always, for the wrath of God has come upon them to the uttermost.
17¶ But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly with great desire to see your face.
18Therefore we would have come unto you, even I, Paul, once and again, but Satan hindered us.
19For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing? Is it not you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
20For ye are our glory and joy.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International