1 Thessalonians 2
Christian Standard Bible
Paul’s Conduct
2 For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit(A) with you was not without result. 2 On the contrary, after we had previously suffered(B) and were treated outrageously in Philippi,(C) as you know, we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition. 3 For our exhortation didn’t come from error or impurity(D) or an intent to deceive.(E) 4 Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted(F) with the gospel,(G) so we speak, not to please people, but rather God,(H) who examines our hearts.(I) 5 For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedy(J) motives(K)—God is our witness(L)— 6 and we didn’t seek glory(M) from people, either from you or from others. 7 Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles,(N) instead we were gentle[a] among you, as a nurse[b] nurtures her own children. 8 We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. 9 For you remember our labor and hardship, brothers and sisters. Working(O) night and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you. 10 You are witnesses,(P) and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously,(Q) and blamelessly(R) we conducted ourselves with you believers. 11 As you know, like a father with his own children,(S) 12 we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God,(T) who calls you into his own kingdom(U) and glory.(V)
Reception and Opposition to the Message
13 This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is,(W) the word of God,(X) which also works effectively in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea,(Y) since you have also suffered(Z) the same things from people of your own country,(AA) just as they did from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus(AB) and the prophets and persecuted us.(AC) They displease God and are hostile to everyone, 16 by keeping us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. As a result, they are constantly filling up their sins to the limit,(AD) and wrath has overtaken them at last.[c]
Paul’s Desire to See Them
17 But as for us, brothers and sisters, after we were forced to leave you[d] for a short time (in person, not in heart(AE)), we greatly desired and made every effort to return(AF) and see you face to face. 18 So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan(AG) hindered us. 19 For who is our hope or joy(AH) or crown(AI) of boasting(AJ) in the presence of our Lord(AK) Jesus at his coming?(AL) Is it not you?(AM) 20 Indeed you are our glory(AN) and joy!
1 Thessalonians 2
New Living Translation
Paul Remembers His Visit
2 You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters,[a] that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. 3 So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery.
4 For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. 5 Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! 6 As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else.
7 As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children[b] among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. 8 We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.
9 Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you. 10 You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. 11 And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. 12 We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.
13 Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.
14 And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God’s churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews. 15 For some of the Jews killed the prophets, and some even killed the Lord Jesus. Now they have persecuted us, too. They fail to please God and work against all humanity 16 as they try to keep us from preaching the Good News of salvation to the Gentiles. By doing this, they continue to pile up their sins. But the anger of God has caught up with them at last.
Timothy’s Good Report about the Church
17 Dear brothers and sisters, after we were separated from you for a little while (though our hearts never left you), we tried very hard to come back because of our intense longing to see you again. 18 We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us. 19 After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! 20 Yes, you are our pride and joy.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
