1 Thessalonians 2
1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
For you yourselves, brethren, know that our visit to you did not fail of its purpose.
2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
But, as you will remember, after we had already met with suffering and outrage at Philippi, we summoned up boldness, by the help of our God, to tell you God's Good News amid much opposition.
3 For our exhortation [was] not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
For our preaching was not grounded on a delusion, nor prompted by mingled motives, nor was there fraud in it.
4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
But as God tested and approved us before entrusting us with His Good News, so in what we say we are seeking not to please men but to please God, who tests and approves our motives.
5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God [is] witness:
For, as you are well aware, we have never used the language of flattery nor have we found pretexts for enriching ourselves--God is our witness;
6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor [yet] of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
nor did we seek glory either from you or from any other mere men, although we might have stood on our dignity as Christ's Apostles.
7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
On the contrary, in our relations to you we showed ourselves as gentle as a mother is when she tenderly nurses her own children.
8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
Seeing that we were thus drawn affectionately towards you, it would have been a joy to us to have imparted to you not only God's Good News, but to have given our very lives also, because you had become very dear to us.
9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
For you remember, brethren, our labour and toil: how, working night and day so as not to become a burden to any one of you, we came and proclaimed among you God's Good News.
10 Ye [are] witnesses, and God [also], how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
You yourselves are witnesses--and God is witness--how holy and upright and blameless our dealings with you believers were.
11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father [doth] his children,
For you know that we acted towards every one of you as a father does towards his own children, encouraging and cheering you,
12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
and imploring you to live lives worthy of fellowship with God who is inviting you to share His own Kingship and glory.
13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received [it] not [as] the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
And for this further reason we render unceasing thanks to God, that when you received God's Message from our lips, it was as no mere message from men that you embraced it, but as--what it really is--God's Message, which also does its work in the hearts of you who believe.
14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they [have] of the Jews:
For you, brethren, followed the example of the Churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judaea; seeing that you endured the same ill-treatment at the hands of your countrymen, as they did at the hands of the Jews.
15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
Those Jewish persecutors killed both the Lord Jesus and the Prophets, and drove us out of their midst. They are displeasing to God, and are the enemies of all mankind;
16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
for they still try to prevent our preaching to the Gentiles so that they may find salvation. They thus continually fill up the measure of their own sins, and God's anger in its severest form has overtaken them.
17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.
But we, brethren, having been for a short time separated from you in bodily presence, though not in heart, endeavoured all the more earnestly, with intense longing, to see you face to face.
18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
On this account we wanted to come to you--at least I Paul wanted again and again to do so--but Satan hindered us.
19 For what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? [Are] not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
For what is our hope or joy, or the crown of which we boast? Is it not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His Coming?
20 For ye are our glory and joy.
Yes, you are our glory and our joy.
