1 Thessalonians 2

Darby Translation

2 For ye know yourselves, brethren, our entering in which [we had] to you, that it has not been in vain;

²but, having suffered before and been insulted, even as ye know, in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the glad tidings of God with much earnest striving.

³For our exhortation [was] not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile;

⁴but even as we have been approved of God to have the glad tidings entrusted to us, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who proves our hearts.

⁵For we have not at any time been [among you] with flattering discourse, even as ye know, nor with a pretext for covetousness, God [is] witness;

⁶nor seeking glory from men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have been a charge as Christ's apostles;

⁷but have been gentle in the midst of you, as a nurse would cherish her own children.

⁸Thus, yearning over you, we had found our delight in having imparted to you not only the glad tidings of God, but our own lives also, because ye had become beloved of us.

⁹For ye remember, brethren, our labour and toil: working night and day, not to be chargeable to any one of you, we have preached to you the glad tidings of God.

¹⁰*Ye* [are] witnesses, and God, how piously and righteously and blamelessly we have conducted ourselves with you that believe:

¹¹as ye know how, as a father his own children, we used to exhort each one of you, and comfort and testify,

¹²that ye should walk worthy of God, who calls you to his own kingdom and glory.

¹³And for this cause we also give thanks to God unceasingly that, having received [the] word of [the] report of God by us, ye accepted, not men's word, but, even as it is truly, God's word, which also works in you who believe.

¹⁴For *ye*, brethren, have become imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus; for *ye* also have suffered the same things of your own countrymen as also *they* of the Jews,

¹⁵who have both slain the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and have driven us out by persecution, and do not please God, and [are] against all men,

¹⁶forbidding us to speak to the nations that they may be saved, that they may fill up their sins always: but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

¹⁷But we, brethren, having been bereaved of you and separated for a little moment in person, not in heart, have used more abundant diligence to see your face with much desire;

¹⁸wherefore we have desired to come to you, even I Paul, both once and twice, and Satan has hindered us.

¹⁹For what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting? [are] not *ye* also before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

²⁰for ye are our glory and joy.

1 Thessalonians 2

New King James Version

Paul’s Conduct^(A)

2 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. ²But ^[a]even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at ^(B)Philippi, as you know, we were ^(C)bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. ³^(D)For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.

⁴But as ^(E)we have been approved by God ^(F)to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, ^(G)not as pleasing men, but God ^(H)who tests our hearts. ⁵For ^(I)neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a ^[b]cloak for covetousness—^(J)God is witness. ⁶^(K)Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when ^(L)we might have ^(M)made demands ^(N)as apostles of Christ. ⁷But ^(O)we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. ⁸So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased ^(P)to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also ^(Q)our own lives, because you had become dear to us. ⁹For you remember, brethren, our ^(R)labor and toil; for laboring night and day, ^(S)that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

¹⁰^(T)You are witnesses, and God also, ^(U)how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; ¹¹as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and ^[c]charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, ¹²^(V)that you would walk worthy of God ^(W)who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Their Conversion

¹³For this reason we also thank God ^(X)without ceasing, because when you ^(Y)received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it ^(Z)not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively ^(AA)works in you who believe. ¹⁴For you, brethren, became imitators ^(AB)of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For ^(AC)you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, ¹⁵^(AD)who killed both the Lord Jesus and ^(AE)their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God ^(AF)and are ^[d]contrary to all men, ¹⁶^(AG)forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always ^(AH)to fill up the measure of their sins; ^(AI)but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

Longing to See Them

¹⁷But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time ^(AJ)in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. ¹⁸Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but ^(AK)Satan hindered us. ¹⁹For ^(AL)what is our hope, or joy, or ^(AM)crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the ^(AN)presence of our Lord Jesus Christ ^(AO)at His coming? ²⁰For you are our glory and joy.

Footnotes

1 Thessalonians 2:2 NU, M omit even
1 Thessalonians 2:5 pretext for greed
1 Thessalonians 2:11 NU, M implored
1 Thessalonians 2:15 hostile

Darby Translation (DARBY)

Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)

New King James Version (NKJV)

1 Thessalonians 2 Darby Translation

1 Thessalonians 2 New King James Version