1 Thessalonians 2
New American Standard Bible
Paul’s Ministry
2 For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our [a](A)reception among you (B)was not in vain, 2 but after we had already suffered and been (C)treated abusively in (D)Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God (E)to speak to you the (F)gospel of God [b]amid much [c](G)opposition. 3 For our (H)exhortation does not come from (I)error or (J)impurity or [d]by way of (K)deceit; 4 (L)but just as we have been approved by God to be (M)entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, (N)not intending to please people, but to please God, who [e](O)examines our hearts. 5 For we never came [f]with flattering speech, as you know, nor with (P)a pretext [g]for greed—(Q)God is our witness— 6 nor did we (R)seek honor from people, either from you or from others, though [h]we could have [i]asserted our authority as (S)apostles of Christ. 7 But we [j]proved to be [k](T)gentle [l]among you. (U)As a nursing mother [m]tenderly cares for her own children, 8 in the same way we had a fond affection for you and were delighted to (V)share with you not only the (W)gospel of God, but also our own [n]lives, because you had become [o]very dear to us.
9 For you recall, brothers and sisters, our (X)labor and hardship: it was by (Y)working night and day so as not to be a (Z)burden to any of you, that we proclaimed to you the (AA)gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and so is (AB)God, of (AC)how devoutly and rightly and blamelessly we [p]behaved toward you [q]believers; 11 just as you know how we were (AD)exhorting and encouraging and (AE)imploring each one of you as (AF)a father would his own children, 12 so that you would (AG)walk in a manner worthy of the God who (AH)calls you into His own kingdom and (AI)glory.
13 For this reason we also constantly (AJ)thank God that when you received the (AK)word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it (AL)not as the word of mere men, but as what it really is, the word of God, (AM)which also is at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became (AN)imitators of (AO)the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are (AP)in Judea, for (AQ)you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, (AR)even as they did from the Jews, 15 (AS)who both killed the Lord Jesus and (AT)the prophets, and [r]drove us out. [s]They are not pleasing to God, [t]but hostile to all people, 16 (AU)hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles (AV)so that they may be saved; with the result that they always [u](AW)reach the limit of their sins. But (AX)wrath has come upon them [v]fully.
17 But we, brothers and sisters, having been orphaned from you by absence for a [w]short while—(AY)in [x]person, not in [y]spirit—were all the more eager with great desire (AZ)to see your face. 18 [z]For (BA)we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, [aa](BB)more than once—and (BC)Satan (BD)hindered us. 19 For who is our hope, or (BE)joy or crown of pride, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His [ab](BF)coming? Or is it not indeed you? 20 For you are (BG)our glory and joy.
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 2:1 Or coming to you
- 1 Thessalonians 2:2 Or during
- 1 Thessalonians 2:2 Or struggle; or conflict
- 1 Thessalonians 2:3 Lit in deceit
- 1 Thessalonians 2:4 Or approves
- 1 Thessalonians 2:5 Lit in a word of flattery
- 1 Thessalonians 2:5 I.e., to conceal greed
- 1 Thessalonians 2:6 Lit being able to
- 1 Thessalonians 2:6 Or been burdensome as
- 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Or became gentle
- 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Three early mss infants
- 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Lit in the midst of you
- 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Or cherishes
- 1 Thessalonians 2:8 Or souls
- 1 Thessalonians 2:8 Lit beloved
- 1 Thessalonians 2:10 Lit became
- 1 Thessalonians 2:10 Or who believe
- 1 Thessalonians 2:15 Or persecuted us
- 1 Thessalonians 2:15 Lit and
- 1 Thessalonians 2:15 Lit and
- 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Lit complete their
- 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or forever; lit to the end
- 1 Thessalonians 2:17 Lit occasion of an hour
- 1 Thessalonians 2:17 Lit face
- 1 Thessalonians 2:17 Lit heart
- 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Or Because
- 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Lit both once and twice
- 1 Thessalonians 2:19 Or presence
1 Thessalonians 2
Lexham English Bible
Paul’s Approach to Ministry in Thessalonica
2 For you yourselves know, brothers, our reception with you, that it was not in vain, 2 but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, just as you know, we had the courage in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. 3 For our exhortation is not from error or from impurity or with deceit, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, thus we speak, not as pleasing people but God, who examines our hearts. 5 For never[a] did we come with a word of flattery, just as you know, nor with a pretext of greediness (God is witness), 6 nor seeking glory from people, neither from you nor from others. 7 Although we could have insisted on our own importance[b][c] as apostles of Christ, yet we became infants in your midst, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8 Longing for you in this way, we determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own souls, because you had become dear to us.
9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and hardship: working by night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and righteously and blamelessly we became to you who believe, 11 just as you know how we treated each one of you, like a father his own children, 12 exhorting and consoling you and insisting that you live in a manner worthy of God, who calls you to his own kingdom and glory.
The Thessalonians’ Response to Paul’s Message
13 And because of this we also give thanks to God constantly, that when you[d] received God’s word that you heard[e] from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe. 14 For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered the same things at the hands of your own people, just as they themselves did also at the hands of the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who persecuted us, and who are not pleasing to God and are opposed to all people, 16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles in order that they may be saved, so that they always fill up their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the end.[f]
Paul’s Desire to Revisit the Thessalonians
17 But when[g] we were made orphans by separation from you, brothers, for a short time[h] (in face, not in heart), we were even more eager with great desire to see your face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, on more than one occasion[i]—and Satan hindered us. 19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 2:5 Literally “for neither ever”
- 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Literally “being able to be with a claim of importance”
- 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Here the participle (“being able”) is understood as concessive
- 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“received”) which is understood as temporal
- 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Literally “of hearing”
- 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or “has come upon them at last”
- 1 Thessalonians 2:17 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“were made orphans by separation”) which is understood as temporal
- 1 Thessalonians 2:17 Literally “the time of an hour”
- 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Literally “both once and twice”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software