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保罗在帖撒罗尼迦的工作

弟兄们,你们都知道,我们进到你们那里,并不是白费工夫的。 我们从前在腓立比虽然受了苦,又被凌辱,可是靠着我们的 神,在强烈的反对之下,仍然放胆向你们述说 神的福音,这是你们知道的。 我们的呼吁,不是错谬的,不是污秽的,也没有诡诈。 相反地, 神既然考验过我们,把福音委托给我们,我们就传讲,不像是讨人欢心的,而是讨那察验我们心思的 神的喜悦。 我们从来不说奉承的话,这是你们知道的, 神可以作证,我们并没有借故起贪心, 6-7 也没有向你们或别人求取人的荣誉。我们身为基督使徒的,虽然有权利受人尊敬,但我们在你们中间却是谦和的,就像母亲乳养自己的孩子。 我们这样疼爱你们,不但乐意把 神的福音传给你们,连自己的性命也乐意给你们,因为你们是我们所爱的。 弟兄们,你们应该记得我们的辛苦和劳碌;我们把 神的福音传给你们的时候,怎样昼夜作工,免得你们有人受累。 10 我们对你们信的人是多么圣洁、公义、无可指摘,这是你们和 神都可以作证的。 11 正如你们知道的,我们是怎样好象父亲对待儿女一样对待你们各人: 12 劝勉你们,鼓励你们,叮嘱你们,要你们行事为人,配得上那召你们进入他的国和荣耀的 神。

13 我们也为这缘故不住感谢 神,因为你们接受了我们所传的 神的道,不认为这是人的道,而认为这确实是 神的道。这道也运行在你们信的人里面。 14 弟兄们,你们好象犹太地在基督耶稣里 神的众教会一样,他们怎样遭受犹太人的迫害,你们也照样遭受同族人的迫害。 15 这些犹太人杀了主耶稣和众先知,又把我们赶出来。他们得不到 神的喜悦,并且和所有的人作对, 16 阻挠我们向外族人传道,不让他们得救,以致恶贯满盈。 神的忿怒终必临到他们身上。

保罗渴望再访帖撒罗尼迦

17 弟兄们,我们被迫暂时离开你们,不过是身体离开,心却没有离开。我们非常渴望再见到你们。 18 因此,我们很想到你们那里去,我保罗也一再想去,只是撒但阻挡了我们。 19 我们主耶稣再来的时候,我们在他面前的盼望、喜乐或所夸耀的冠冕是甚么呢?不就是你们吗? 20 是的,你们就是我们的荣耀,我们的喜乐。

For, brethren, ye know our entry to you, for it was not vain;

but first we suffered, and were punished with wrongs, as ye know in Philippi, and had trust in our Lord [we had trust in the Lord], to speak to you the gospel of God in much busyness.

And our exhortation is not of error [Soothly our exhortation, or teaching, was not of error], neither of uncleanness, neither in guile,

but as we be approved of God, that the gospel of God should be taken to us [but as we be proved of God, that the gospel should be taken to us], so we speak; not as pleasing to men, but to God that proveth our hearts.

For neither we were any time in word of glossing [Forsooth neither we were any time in word of flattering], as ye know, neither in occasion of avarice; God is witness;

neither seeking glory of men, neither of you, neither of others, when we, as Christ's apostles, might have been in charge to you [when we might have been chargeous to you, as Christ's apostles].

But we were made little in the middle of you, as if a nurse foster her sons;

so we desiring you with great love, would have betaken to you, not only the gospel of God, but also our lives [so we desiring you covetingly, or with great love, would betake to you, not only the gospel of God, but also our souls, or lives], for ye be made most dear-worthy to us.

For, brethren, ye be mindful of our travail and weariness; we worked night and day, that we should not grieve any of you, and preached to you the gospel of God[a].

10 God and ye be witnesses, how holily, and justly, and without plaint, we were to you that believed. [Ye be witnesses, and God, how holily, and justly, and without quarrel, or plaint, we were to you that believed.]

11 As ye know, how we prayed you, and comforted each of you, as the father his sons,

12 and we have witnessed, that ye should go worthily to God, that called you into his kingdom and glory.

13 Therefore [and] we do thankings to God without ceasing. For when ye had taken of us the word of the hearing of God, ye took it not as the word of men, but as it is verily, the word of God, that worketh in you that have believed.

14 For, brethren, ye be made followers of the churches of God, that be in Judaea, in Christ Jesus, for [and] ye have suffered the same things of your even-lineages, as [and] they of the Jews.

15 Which slew both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and pursued us, and they please not to God, and they be adversaries to all men;

16 forbidding us to speak to heathen men, that they be made safe, that they fill their sins evermore; for the wrath of God came on them into the end [forsooth the wrath of God before came upon them till into the end].

17 And, brethren, we desolate from you for a time, by mouth and in beholding, but not in heart, have hied more plenteously to see your face with great desire.[b]

18 For we would come to you, yea, I Paul, once and again, but Satan hindered us [but Satan letted us].

19 For why what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glory? Whether ye be not before our Lord Jesus Christ in his coming?

20 For ye be our glory and joy.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 2:9 night and day working, that we should not grieve any of you, we preached to you the evangel of God
  2. 1 Thessalonians 2:17 Forsooth, brethren, we be desolate from you at the time of an hour, in beholding, as in presence, not in heart, more abundantly have hied to see your face with great desire.

Paul Recalls His Visit to the Thessalonians

For you yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a waste of time. As you know, we suffered persecution and were mistreated in Philippi. Yet we were encouraged by our God to tell you his[a] gospel in spite of strong opposition. For our appeal to you[b] does not spring from deceit, impure motives, or trickery. Rather, because we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, we speak as we do, not trying to please people but God, who tests our motives.

As you know, we did not come with flattering words or with a scheme to make money. God is our witness! We did not seek praise from people—from you or from anyone else— even though as apostles of the Messiah[c] we might have made such demands. Instead, we were gentle[d] among you, like a nursing mother tenderly caring for her own children. We cared so deeply for you that we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but our very lives. That is how dear you were to us. Brothers, you remember our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not become a burden to any of you while we proclaimed the gospel of God to you. 10 You and God are witnesses of how pure, honest, and blameless our conduct was among you who believe. 11 You know very well that we treated each of you the way a father treats[e] his children. 12 We comforted and encouraged you, urging you to live in a manner worthy of God, who calls[f] you into his kingdom and glory.

How the Thessalonians Welcomed the Gospel

13 Here is another reason why we constantly give thanks to God: When you received God’s word, which you heard from us, you did not accept it as the word of humans but for what it really is—the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in union with the Messiah[g] Jesus. You suffered the same persecutions from the people of your own country as they did from those Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the[h] prophets, who have persecuted us, and who please neither God nor any group of people, 16 as they try to keep us from telling the gentiles how they can be saved. As a result, they are constantly adding to the number of sins they have committed.[i] However, wrath has overtaken them at last!

Timothy’s Report to Paul

17 Brothers, although we have been separated from you for a little while—in person but not in heart—we eagerly desire to see you again face to face. 18 That is why we wanted to come to you. Certainly I, Paul, wanted to come[j] time and again, but Satan blocked our way. 19 After all, who is our hope, joy, or reason for[k] rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? It is you, isn’t it? 20 Yes, you are our glory and joy!

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 2:2 Lit. God’s
  2. 1 Thessalonians 2:3 The Gk. lacks to you
  3. 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Or Christ
  4. 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Other mss. read infants
  5. 1 Thessalonians 2:11 The Gk. lacks treats
  6. 1 Thessalonians 2:12 Other mss. read called
  7. 1 Thessalonians 2:14 Or Christ
  8. 1 Thessalonians 2:15 Other mss. read their own
  9. 1 Thessalonians 2:16 The Gk. lacks they have committed
  10. 1 Thessalonians 2:18 The Gk. lacks wanted to come
  11. 1 Thessalonians 2:19 Lit. or crown of