The First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

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

As 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.

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

Instead, 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.

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

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

On the contrary, we were gentle among you,(b) like a nursing mother caring for her children.

We 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.

Surely 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.

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

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

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

And 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 the true word of God—the word which is now at work in you who believe.

For 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,

who 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,

hindering 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.(c)

Paul’s Longing to Visit

Brothers, 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.

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

After 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?

You are indeed our glory and our joy.

Footnotes

(a)2:6 Or although as apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you; SBL, NE, and WH include this phrase with verse 7.

(b)2:7 WH and NA we were like young children among you

For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn’t in vain,

but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.

For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception.

But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak—not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.

For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),

nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.

But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.

For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.

You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.

As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children,

to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.

For this cause we also thank God without ceasing that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, God’s word, which also works in you who believe.

For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews

who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and don’t please God, and are contrary to all men,

forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.

Paul’s Longing to Visit

But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,

because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our Lord Jesus

(a)

at his coming?

For you are our glory and our joy.

Footnotes

(a)2:19 TR adds “Christ”