1 Thessalonians 2

Modern

Literal

Paul’s Ministry

¹You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain.

¹For you yourselves know, brothers, that our entrance to you has not been in vain.

²As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.

²But having previously suffered and having been mistreated (just as you know) in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much struggle.

³For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery.

³For our exhortation was not out of deceit, nor out of impurity, nor in trickery;

⁴Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.

⁴but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, the One proving our hearts.

⁵As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!

⁵For neither at any time were we with a word of flattery, just as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness—

⁶Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.^a

⁶nor seeking glory from men, nor from you, nor from others, though having power to be with authority as apostles of Christ.

⁷On the contrary, we were gentle among you,^a like a nursing mother caring for her children.

⁷But we were gentle in your midst, as a nursing mother should cherish her own children.

⁸We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.

⁸So yearning over you, we were well pleased to have imparted to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you have become beloved to us.

⁹Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

⁹For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: Working night and day in order not to be burdensome upon any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

¹⁰You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.

¹⁰You are witnesses, and God, how devoutly and righteously and blamelessly we behaved toward you, those believing,

¹¹For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children—

¹¹just as you know how, each one of you, as a father his own children,

¹²encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

¹²we were exhorting and comforting you and charging unto you to walk worthily of God, the One calling you into His own kingdom and glory.

¹³And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe.

¹³And because of this, we also give thanks to God unceasingly that, having received the word of God, hearing from us, you accepted, not the word of men, but just as truly it is, the word of God, which also works in you, those believing.

¹⁴For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews,

¹⁴For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God being in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they also did from the Jews,

¹⁵who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,

¹⁵who, having killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and having driven us out; and they are not pleasing God and contrary to all men,

¹⁶hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.^a

¹⁶forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles so that they might be saved, so as to fill up their sins always. Now the wrath has come upon them to the end.

Paul’s Longing to Visit

¹⁷Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense.

¹⁷But we, brothers, having been bereaved of you for the time of an hour—in face, not in heart—were more abundantly eager with much desire to see your face.

¹⁸For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.

¹⁸Therefore we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, both once and twice—and Satan obstructed us.

¹⁹After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

¹⁹For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting? Or are not even you, before our Lord Jesus at His coming?

²⁰You are indeed our glory and our joy.

²⁰For you are our glory and joy.