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Voi(A) înşivă ştiţi, fraţilor, că venirea noastră la voi n-a fost zadarnică. După ce am suferit şi am fost batjocoriţi în Filipi(B), cum ştiţi, am(C) venit plini de încredere în Dumnezeul nostru să vă vestim(D) Evanghelia lui Dumnezeu în mijlocul multor(E) lupte. Căci(F) propovăduirea noastră nu se întemeiază nici pe rătăcire, nici pe necurăţie, nici pe viclenie. Ci, fiindcă(G) Dumnezeu ne-a găsit vrednici să(H) ne încredinţeze Evanghelia, căutăm să vorbim aşa ca să plăcem(I) nu oamenilor, ci lui Dumnezeu, care(J) ne cercetează inima. În adevăr, cum bine ştiţi, niciodată n-am(K) întrebuinţat vorbe măgulitoare, nici haina lăcomiei: martor este Dumnezeu(L). N-am(M) căutat slavă de la oameni: nici de la voi, nici de la alţii, deşi, ca apostoli(N) ai lui Hristos, am fi putut să cerem cinste. Dimpotrivă(O), ne-am arătat blânzi(P) în mijlocul vostru, ca o doică ce-şi creşte cu drag copiii. Astfel, în dragostea noastră fierbinte pentru voi, eram gata să vă dăm(Q) nu numai Evanghelia lui Dumnezeu, dar chiar şi viaţa(R) noastră, atât de scumpi ne ajunseserăţi. Vă aduceţi aminte, fraţilor, de osteneala şi munca noastră. Cum lucram zi(S) şi noapte ca(T) să nu fim sarcină niciunuia din voi şi vă propovăduiam Evanghelia lui Dumnezeu. 10 Voi(U) sunteţi martori şi Dumnezeu, de asemenea, că(V) am avut o purtare sfântă, dreaptă şi fără prihană faţă de voi, care credeţi. 11 Ştiţi iarăşi că am fost pentru fiecare din voi ca un tată cu copiii lui: vă sfătuiam, vă mângâiam şi vă adeveream 12 (W) vă purtaţi într-un chip vrednic de Dumnezeu, care(X) vă cheamă la Împărăţia şi slava Sa. 13 De aceea mulţumim fără încetare(Y) lui Dumnezeu că, atunci când aţi primit Cuvântul lui Dumnezeu auzit de la noi, l-aţi primit nu(Z) ca pe cuvântul oamenilor, ci, aşa cum şi este în adevăr, ca pe Cuvântul lui Dumnezeu, care lucrează şi în voi care credeţi. 14 Căci, fraţilor, voi aţi călcat pe urmele Bisericilor(AA) lui Dumnezeu, care sunt în Hristos Isus, în Iudeea; pentru că şi voi aţi suferit din partea celor de un neam cu voi aceleaşi(AB) rele pe care le-au suferit ele din partea(AC) iudeilor. 15 Iudeii(AD) aceştia au omorât pe Domnul Isus şi pe proroci(AE), pe noi ne-au prigonit, nu plac lui Dumnezeu şi(AF) sunt vrăjmaşi tuturor oamenilor, 16 căci(AG) ne opresc să vorbim neamurilor ca(AH) să fie mântuite. Astfel, ei totdeauna pun vârf păcatelor lor. Dar, la urmă, i-a(AI) ajuns mânia lui Dumnezeu! 17 Noi, fraţilor, după ce am fost despărţiţi câtăva vreme de voi, cu faţa(AJ), dar nu cu inima, am avut cu atât mai mult dorinţa să vă vedem(AK). 18 Astfel, o dată şi chiar de două ori, am voit (eu, Pavel, cel puţin) să venim la voi, dar ne-a împiedicat Satana(AL). 19 Căci cine(AM) este, în adevăr, nădejdea sau bucuria, sau cununa(AN) noastră de slavă? Nu sunteţi voi înaintea Domnului nostru Isus Hristos, la(AO) venirea Lui? 20 Da, voi sunteţi slava şi bucuria noastră.

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

Paul's Ministry to the Thessalonians

For you yourselves know, brothers,[a] that our (A)coming to you (B)was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated (C)at Philippi, as you know, (D)we had boldness in our God (E)to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much (F)conflict. For (G)our appeal does not spring from (H)error or (I)impurity or (J)any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God (K)to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not (L)to please man, but to please God (M)who tests our hearts. (N)For we never came with words of flattery,[b] as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—(O)God is witness. (P)Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, (Q)though we could have made (R)demands as (S)apostles of Christ. But we were (T)gentle[c] among you, (U)like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God (V)but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

For you remember, brothers, (W)our labor and toil: we (X)worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and (Y)God also, (Z)how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, (AA)like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and (AB)charged (AC)you to walk in a manner worthy of God, (AD)who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

13 And (AE)we also thank God constantly[d] for this, that when you received (AF)the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it (AG)not as the word of men[e] but as what it really is, the word of God, (AH)which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, (AI)became imitators of (AJ)the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For (AK)you suffered the same things from your own countrymen (AL)as they did from the Jews,[f] 15 (AM)who killed both the Lord Jesus and (AN)the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and (AO)oppose all mankind 16 (AP)by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always (AQ)to fill up the measure of their sins. But (AR)wrath has come upon them at last![g]

Paul's Longing to See Them Again

17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, (AS)in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire (AT)to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan (AU)hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or (AV)joy or crown of boasting (AW)before our Lord Jesus at his (AX)coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 2:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 9, 14, 17
  2. 1 Thessalonians 2:5 Or with a flattering speech
  3. 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Some manuscripts infants
  4. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Or without ceasing
  5. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
  6. 1 Thessalonians 2:14 The Greek word Ioudaioi can refer to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, who opposed the Christian faith in that time
  7. 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or completely, or forever