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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。

Cherishing Spiritual Children

For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not in vain. On the contrary, after we had first suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know,[a] we had boldness in our God to tell you the Good News of God—even in the midst of much opposition. For our urging is not out of deceit or impure motives or trickery. But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we declare it—not pleasing men but rather God, who examines our hearts.[b]

For as you know and God is witness, we never came with a word of flattery or a motive of greed— or seeking glory from people, whether from you or from others, even though we could have thrown our weight around as emissaries of Messiah. Rather, we proved to be infants[c] among you. Like a nursing mother[d] cherishes her children, in this way we were yearning for you. We were delighted to share with you not only the Good News of God but also our very souls, because you had become dear to us.

For you recall, brothers and sisters, our labor and hardship—working night and day, so as not to burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the Good News of God. 10 You are witnesses, along with God, of how devoutly and righteously and blamelessly we behaved toward you who believe. 11 For you know how, as a father with his own children, 12 we exhorted and encouraged and urged each one of you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

13 For this reason, we also thank God constantly that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is—the word of God, which does its work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s communities in Messiah Yeshua that are in Judea—for you suffered the same things at the hands of your own countrymen as they did from the Judean leaders, 15 who killed both the Lord Yeshua and the prophets and drove us out.[e] They are not pleasing to God and hostile to all people, 16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they might be saved. As a result, they constantly fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last.

Longing to Visit and Reassure

17 But brothers and sisters, after we were orphaned by separation from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), we were all the more eager in our great longing to see you face to face. 18 For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—but satan thwarted us. 19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting[f] before our Lord Yeshua at His coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy!

Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica

As you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, our visit with you wasn’t a waste of time. On the contrary, we had the courage through God to speak God’s good news in spite of a lot of opposition, although we had already suffered and were publicly insulted in Philippi, as you know. Our appeal isn’t based on false information, the wrong motives, or deception. Rather, we have been examined and approved by God to be trusted with the good news, and that’s exactly how we speak. We aren’t trying to please people, but we are trying to please God, who continues to examine our hearts. As you know, we never used flattery, and God is our witness that we didn’t have greedy motives. We didn’t ask for special treatment from people—not from you or from others— although we could have thrown our weight around as Christ’s apostles. Instead, we were gentle with you like a nursing mother caring for her own children. We were glad to share not only God’s good news with you but also our very lives because we cared for you so much. You remember, brothers and sisters, our efforts and hard work. We preached God’s good news to you, while we worked night and day so we wouldn’t be a burden on any of you. 10 You and God are witnesses of how holy, just, and blameless we were toward you believers. 11 Likewise, you know how we treated each of you like a father treats his own children. 12 We appealed to you, encouraged you, and pleaded with you to live lives worthy of the God who is calling you into his own kingdom and glory.

How the Thessalonians received God’s message

13 We also thank God constantly for this: when you accepted God’s word that you heard from us, you welcomed it for what it truly is. Instead of accepting it as a human message, you accepted it as God’s message, and it continues to work in you who are believers. 14 Brothers and sisters, you became imitators of the churches of God in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus. This was because you also suffered the same things from your own people as they did from the Jews. 15 They killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove us out. They don’t please God, and they are hostile to the entire human race 16 when they try to stop us from speaking to the Gentiles so they can be saved. Their sins are constantly pushing the limit.[a] God’s wrath has caught up with them in the end.

Paul’s desire to visit

17 Brothers and sisters, we were separated from you for a while physically but not in our hearts. We made every effort in our desire to see you again face-to-face. 18 We wanted to come to you—I, Paul, tried over and over again—and Satan stopped us. 19 What is our hope, joy, or crown that we can brag about in front of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Isn’t it all of you? 20 You are our glory and joy!

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or They constantly fill up the measure of their sin.

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

For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:

But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:

Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,

12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

20 For ye are our glory and joy.