帖撒罗尼迦前书 2
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
保罗在腓立比受辱被害
2 弟兄们，你们自己原晓得我们进到你们那里并不是徒然的。 2 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。 3 我们的劝勉不是出于错误，不是出于污秽，也不是用诡诈。 4 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。 5 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。 6 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， 7 只在你们中间存心温柔，如同母亲乳养自己的孩子。 8 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
9 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 这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。
1 Thessalonians 2
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
II. Previous Relations with the Thessalonians
Chapter 2
Paul’s Ministry Among Them. 1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our reception among you was not without effect. 2 Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated, as you know, in Philippi, we drew courage through our God to speak to you the gospel of God with much struggle.(A) 3 Our exhortation was not from delusion or impure motives, nor did it work through deception. 4 But as we were judged worthy[a] by God to be entrusted with the gospel, that is how we speak, not as trying to please human beings, but rather God, who judges our hearts.(B) 5 Nor, indeed, did we ever appear with flattering speech, as you know, or with a pretext for greed—God is witness— 6 nor did we seek praise from human beings, either from you or from others,(C) 7 although we were able to impose our weight as apostles of Christ. Rather, we were gentle[b] among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children. 8 With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us. 9 You recall, brothers, our toil and drudgery. Working night and day in order not to burden any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.(D) 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers. 11 As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children,(E) 12 exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you conduct yourselves as worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory.(F)
Further Thanksgiving. 13 And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe. 14 [c]For you, brothers, have become imitators of the churches of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you suffer the same things from your compatriots as they did from the Jews, 15 [d]who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us; they do not please God, and are opposed to everyone,(G) 16 trying to prevent us from speaking to the Gentiles that they may be saved, thus constantly filling up the measure of their sins. But the wrath of God has finally begun to come upon them.(H)
Paul’s Recent Travel Plans. 17 Brothers, when we were bereft of you for a short time, in person, not in heart, we were all the more eager in our great desire to see you in person.(I) 18 We decided to go to you—I, Paul, not only once but more than once—yet Satan thwarted us.(J) 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown to boast of in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming if not you yourselves?(K) 20 For you are our glory and joy.
Footnotes
- 2:4 Judged worthy: Paul regards “worthiness” not as grounded in one’s own talent or moral self-righteousness but in God’s discernment of genuinely selfless attitudes and actions (see 2 Cor 10:17–18).
- 2:7 Gentle: many excellent manuscripts read “infants” (nēpioi), but “gentle” (ēpioi) better suits the context here.
- 2:14 Luke’s picture of the persecutions at Philippi (by Gentiles) and in Thessalonica and Beroea (by Jews) seems to be considerably schematized (Acts 16:11–40; 17:1–15). Paul pictures the Thessalonian community as composed of converts from paganism (1 Thes 1:9) and speaks here of persecution by their (pagan) compatriots rather than by Jews.
- 2:15–16 Paul is speaking of historical opposition on the part of Palestinian Jews in particular and does so only some twenty years after Jesus’ crucifixion. Even so, he quickly proceeds to depict the persecutors typologically, in apocalyptic terms. His remarks give no grounds for anti-Semitism to those willing to understand him, especially in view of Paul’s pride in his own ethnic and religious background (Rom 9:1–5; 10:1; 11:1–3; Phil 3:4–6). Sinful conduct (1 Thes 2:16) is itself an anticipation of the ultimate wrath or judgment of God (Rom 1:18–2:5), whether or not it is perceived as such.
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