1 Thessalonians 2

For you know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you has not been ineffective (fruitless, in vain),

You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results.

but after we had already suffered and been outrageously treated in Philippi, as you know, yet in [the strength of] our God we summoned the courage to proclaim boldly to you the good news of God [regarding salvation] amid great opposition.

We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.

For our appeal does not come from delusion or impure motives, nor [is it motivated] by deceit [our message is complete, accurate, and based on the truth—it does not change].

For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.

But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel [that tells the good news of salvation through faith in Christ], so we speak, not as [if we were trying] to please people [to gain power and popularity], but to please God who examines our hearts [expecting our best].

On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.

For as you well know, we never came with words of flattery nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness—

You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed – God is our witness.

nor did we seek glory and honor from people, neither from you nor from anyone else, though as apostles of Christ we had the power to assert our authority.

We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.

But we behaved gently when we were among you, like a devoted mother tenderly caring for her own children.

Instead, we were like young children^[a] among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children,

Having such a deep affection for you, we ^[a]were delighted to share with you not only God’s good news but also our own lives, because you had become so very dear to us.

so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

For you remember, ^[b]believers, our labor and hardship. We worked night and day [practicing our trade] in order not to be a [financial] burden to any of you while we proclaimed the gospel of God to you.

Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.

You are witnesses, and so is God, how unworldly and just and blameless was our behavior toward you who believe [in our Lord Jesus Christ].

You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.

For you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you just as a father does [in dealing with] his own children, [guiding you]

For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,

to live lives [of honor, moral courage, and personal integrity] worthy of the God who [saves you and] calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

And we also thank God continually for this, that when you received the word of God [concerning salvation] which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its inherent, supernatural power in those of faith].

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

For you, ^[c]brothers and sisters, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you too suffered the same [kind of] persecution from your own countrymen, as they did from the Jews,

For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: you suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews

who ^[d]killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and harassed and drove us out; and [they] continue to be highly displeasing to God and [to show themselves] hostile to all people,

who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone

forbidding us from speaking to the Gentiles (non-Jews) so that they may be saved. So, as always, they fill up [to the brim] the measure of their sins [allotted to them by God]. But [God’s] wrath has come upon them at last [completely and forever].

in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.^[b]

Paul’s longing to see the Thessalonians

But since we were taken away from you, believers, for a little while—in person, but not in heart—we endeavored, with great longing to see you face to face.

But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.

For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again [wanted to come], but Satan hindered us.

For we wanted to come to you – certainly I, Paul, did, again and again – but Satan blocked our way.

For who is [the object of] our hope or joy or our victor’s wreath of triumphant celebration [when we stand] in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you?

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?

For you are [indeed] our glory and our joy!

Indeed, you are our glory and joy.