1 Thessalonians 2
Wycliffe Bible
2 For, brethren, ye know our entry to you, for it was not vain;
2 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.
3 And our exhortation is not of error [Soothly our exhortation, or teaching, was not of error], neither of uncleanness, neither in guile,
4 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.
5 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;
6 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].
7 But we were made little in the middle of you, as if a nurse foster her sons;
8 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.
9 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 Thessalonians 2:9 night and day working, that we should not grieve any of you, we preached to you the evangel of God
- 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.
1 Thessalonians 2
New Matthew Bible
Paul reminds them of the godly life he led among them when he preached the gospel to them, thanks God that they receive his word so fruitfully, and excuses his absence.
2 For you yourselves know, brethren, of our coming to you, how it was not in vain. 2 But even after we had suffered before, and were shamefully treated at Philippi (as you well know), then we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God with much striving. 3 Our exhortation was not to bring you to error, nor yet to uncleanness. Neither was it with guile, 4 but as we were approved by God to have the gospel committed to us, even so we speak – not as though we intended to please men, but God, who tries our hearts.
5 Neither was our conversation at any time with flattering words, as you well know, nor in cloaked covetousness; God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek praise from men: not from you, nor yet from any others, when we might have imposed ourselves upon you as the apostles of Christ. 7 But we were tender among you. Even as a nurse-mother cares for her children, 8 so was our affection toward you. Our good pleasure was to have given you not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were dear to us.
9 You remember, brethren, our labour and travail. For we laboured day and night because we did not want to be burdensome to any of you, and preached to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how holily and justly and blamelessly we conducted ourselves among you who believe; 11 as you know how we exhorted and comforted and besought every one of you, as a father his children, 12 to walk worthy of God, who has called you unto his kingdom and glory.
13 We thank God without ceasing, because when you received from us the word whereby God was preached, you received it not as the word of man, but even as it was indeed: the word of God, which works in you who believe. 14 For you, brethren, took after the congregations of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. For you have suffered similar things from your countrymen as we ourselves have suffered from the Jews. 15 As they killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, even so have they persecuted us. And they do not please God, and are contrary to all men, 16 and oppose us preaching to the Gentiles so that they might be saved, to fulfil their sins always. For the wrath of God has come on them, even to the utmost.
17 But since, brethren, we have been kept from you for a season (as to bodily presence, but not in the heart), we tried all the more to see you personally, with great desire. 18 And therefore we would have gone to you – I, Paul, once and again – but Satan withstood us. 19 For what is our hope or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 20 Yes, you are our pride and joy.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.