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保罗在腓立比受辱被害

弟兄们,你们自己原晓得我们进到你们那里并不是徒然的。 我们从前在腓立比被害受辱,这是你们知道的,然而还是靠我们的神放开胆量,在大争战中把神的福音传给你们。 我们的劝勉不是出于错误,不是出于污秽,也不是用诡诈。 但神既然验中了我们,把福音托付我们,我们就照样讲,不是要讨人喜欢,乃是要讨那察验我们心的神喜欢。 因为我们从来没有用过谄媚的话,这是你们知道的;也没有藏着贪心,这是神可以作见证的。 我们做基督的使徒,虽然可以叫人尊重,却没有向你们或向别人求荣耀, 只在你们中间存心温柔,如同母亲乳养自己的孩子。 我们既是这样爱你们,不但愿意将神的福音给你们,连自己的性命也愿意给你们,因你们是我们所疼爱的。

保罗的辛苦劳碌

弟兄们,你们记念我们的辛苦劳碌:昼夜做工,传神的福音给你们,免得叫你们一人受累。 10 我们向你们信主的人,是何等圣洁、公义、无可指摘,有你们作见证,也有神作见证。 11 你们也晓得我们怎样劝勉你们、安慰你们、嘱咐你们各人,好像父亲待自己的儿女一样, 12 要叫你们行事对得起那召你们进他国、得他荣耀的神。

门徒忍受本地人的苦害

13 为此,我们也不住地感谢神,因你们听见我们所传神的道就领受了;不以为是人的道,乃以为是神的道。这道实在是神的,并且运行在你们信主的人心中。 14 弟兄们,你们曾效法犹太中、在基督耶稣里神的各教会,因为你们也受了本地人的苦害,像他们受了犹太人的苦害一样。 15 犹太人杀了主耶稣和先知,又把我们赶出去。他们不得神的喜悦,且与众人为敌, 16 不许我们传道给外邦人使外邦人得救,常常充满自己的罪恶。神的愤怒临在他们身上已经到了极处。

保罗以门徒为荣耀喜乐

17 弟兄们,我们暂时与你们离别,是面目离别,心里却不离别,我们极力地想法子,很愿意见你们的面。 18 所以我们有意到你们那里,我保罗有一两次要去,只是撒旦阻挡了我们。 19 我们的盼望和喜乐并所夸的冠冕是什么呢?岂不是我们主耶稣来的时候,你们在他面前站立得住吗? 20 因为你们就是我们的荣耀、我们的喜乐。

保羅在帖撒羅尼迦的工作

弟兄姊妹,你們自己知道,我們那次探望你們並沒有白費。 你們也知道,我們之前在腓立比遭受了迫害和凌辱,遇到強烈的反對,但仍然靠著我們的上帝放膽向你們傳揚祂的福音。 我們的勸勉並非出於謬誤、不良動機或詭詐。 我們得到了上帝的認可,受委派傳福音。我們不是要取悅人,而是要取悅鑒察我們內心的上帝。

你們知道,我們沒有花言巧語奉承人,也沒有心存貪念,上帝可以為我們作證。 我們不求得到你們或其他任何人的讚揚。 身為基督的使徒,我們理當受到你們的尊重,然而我們像母親撫育嬰兒一樣溫柔地對待你們。 我們深愛你們,對你們有深厚的感情,不僅樂意把上帝的福音傳給你們,甚至把生命給你們也在所不惜。

弟兄姊妹,你們一定記得我們的勞苦和艱難。我們一面向你們傳福音,一面晝夜辛勤工作,免得成為你們任何人的負擔。 10 我們怎樣以聖潔、公義、純全的方式對待你們眾信徒,你們自己可以作證,上帝也可以作證。 11 你們也知道,我們對待你們就像父親對待自己的孩子一樣。 12 我們安慰你們,勸勉你們,督促你們,好叫你們行事為人對得起上帝,祂呼召你們進入祂的國、享受祂的榮耀。

13 我們不住地感謝上帝,因為你們從我們這裡聽了上帝的道後就接受了,確信這不是人的道理,而是上帝的道。這道正在你們信的人心裡發揮作用。

14 弟兄姊妹,你們的遭遇和猶太地區基督耶穌的眾教會的遭遇一樣。你們受到了自己同胞的迫害,他們也受到了猶太人的迫害。 15 這些猶太人殺死了主耶穌和眾先知,又迫害我們。他們不但冒犯上帝,還與所有的人為敵, 16 阻止我們傳福音給外族人,唯恐他們得救。這些人惡貫滿盈,上帝的烈怒終於臨到了他們頭上。

保羅渴望去帖撒羅尼迦

17 弟兄姊妹,我們暫時與你們分離,心靈卻與你們在一起。我們非常渴望見到你們。 18 我們想去你們那裡,我保羅也一次又一次地想去,只是遭到撒旦的攔阻。 19 我們主耶穌再來的時候,我們在祂面前的盼望、喜樂和可誇耀的冠冕是什麼呢?不就是你們嗎? 20 因為你們是我們的榮耀和喜樂。

Paul’s Work in Thessalonica

Brothers, you know that our visit to you was not a failure. Before we came to you, we suffered in Philippi. People there insulted us. You know about that. And when we came to you, many people were against us. But our God helped us to be brave and to tell you his Good News. Our message was a message to encourage you. We were not trying to lie. We had no evil plan. We were not trying to trick you. But we speak the Good News because God tested us and trusted us to do it. When we speak, we are not trying to please men. But we are trying to please God, who tests our hearts. You 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 selfishness to hide from you. God knows that this is true. We were not looking for praise from you or anyone else. We are apostles of Christ. When we were with you, we could have used our authority to make you do things.

But we were very gentle with you.[a] We were like a mother caring for her little children. Because we loved you, 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. Brothers, I know that you remember how hard we worked. We worked night and day so that we would not burden any of you while we preached God’s Good News to you.

10 When we were with you, we lived in a holy and right way, without fault. You know that this is true, and God knows that this is true. 11 You know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. 12 We strengthened you, we comforted you, and we told you to live good lives for God. It is God who calls you to his glorious kingdom.

13 Also, we always thank God because of the way you accepted his message. You heard his message from us, and you accepted it as the word of God, not the words of men. And it really is God’s message. And that message works in you who believe. 14 Brothers, you have been like God’s churches in Christ that are in Judea.[b] God’s people suffered bad things from the other Jews there. And you suffered the same bad things from the people of your own country. 15 Those Jews killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets. And they forced us to leave that country. They do not please God. They are against all people. 16 They try to stop us from teaching the non-Jews so that they may be saved. But those Jews are adding more and more sins to the sins they already have. The anger of God has come to them at last.

Paul Wants to Visit Them Again

17 Brothers, we were separated from you for a short time, but our thoughts were still with you. We wanted very much to see you, and tried very hard to do so. 18 I, Paul, tried to come many times, but Satan stopped us. 19 For you are our hope, our joy, and the crown we will be proud of when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 20 Truly you are our glory and our joy.

Footnotes

  1. 2:7 But . . . you. Some Greek copies read “But we were like infants among you.”
  2. 2:14 Judea The Jewish land where Jesus lived and taught and where the church first began.

Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica

You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you(A) was not without results.(B) We had previously suffered(C) and been treated outrageously in Philippi,(D) as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.(E) For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives,(F) nor are we trying to trick you.(G) On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.(H) We are not trying to please people(I) but God, who tests our hearts.(J) You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed(K)—God is our witness.(L) We were not looking for praise from people,(M) not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles(N) of Christ we could have asserted our authority.(O) Instead, we were like young children[a] among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children,(P) so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God(Q) but our lives as well.(R) Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked(S) night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone(T) while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses,(U) and so is God,(V) of how holy,(W) righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,(X) 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy(Y) of God, who calls(Z) you into his kingdom and glory.

13 And we also thank God continually(AA) because, when you received the word of God,(AB) 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. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators(AC) of God’s churches in Judea,(AD) which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people(AE) the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus(AF) and the prophets(AG) and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles(AH) so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit.(AI) The wrath of God has come upon them at last.[b]

Paul’s Longing to See the Thessalonians

17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought),(AJ) out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.(AK) 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan(AL) blocked our way.(AM) 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown(AN) in which we will glory(AO) in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?(AP) Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory(AQ) and joy.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Some manuscripts were gentle
  2. 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or them fully