1 Thessalonians 2
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Paul’s Conduct
2 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our visit(A) with you was not without result. 2 On the contrary, after we had previously suffered,(B) and we 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 men, 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 nursing mother 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. 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 message about God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is,(W) the message of God,(X) which also works effectively in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, 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 both the Lord Jesus(AB) and the prophets and persecuted us;(AC) they displease God and are hostile to everyone, 16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. As a result, they are always completing the number of their sins,(AD) and wrath has overtaken them at last.[b]
Paul’s Desire to See Them
17 But as for us, brothers, after we were forced to leave you 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 For you are our glory(AN) and joy!
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Other mss read infants
- 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or to the end
1 Thessalonians 2
Good News Translation
Paul's Work in Thessalonica
2 Our friends, you yourselves know that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 (A)You know how we had already been mistreated and insulted in Philippi before we came to you in Thessalonica. And even though there was much opposition, our God gave us courage to tell you the Good News that comes from him. 3 Our appeal to you is not based on error or impure motives, nor do we try to trick anyone. 4 Instead, we always speak as God wants us to, because he has judged us worthy to be entrusted with the Good News. We do not try to please people, but to please God, who tests our motives. 5 You know very well that we did not come to you with flattering talk, nor did we use words to cover up greed—God is our witness! 6 We did not try to get praise from anyone, either from you or from others, 7 even though as apostles of Christ we could have made demands on you. But we were gentle when we were with you, like a mother[a] taking care of her children. 8 Because of our love for you we were ready to share with you not only the Good News from God but even our own lives. You were so dear to us! 9 Surely you remember, our friends, how we worked and toiled! We worked day and night so that we would not be any trouble to you as we preached to you the Good News from God.
10 You are our witnesses, and so is God, that our conduct toward you who believe was pure, right, and without fault. 11 You know that we treated each one of you just as parents treat their own children. 12 We encouraged you, we comforted you, and we kept urging you to live the kind of life that pleases God, who calls you to share in his own Kingdom and glory.
13 And there is another reason why we always give thanks to God. When we brought you God's message, you heard it and accepted it, not as a message from human beings but as God's message, which indeed it is. For God is at work in you who believe. 14 (B)Our friends, the same things happened to you that happened to the churches of God in Judea, to the people there who belong to Christ Jesus. You suffered the same persecutions from your own people that they suffered from the Jews, 15 (C)who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and persecuted us. How displeasing they are to God! How hostile they are to everyone! 16 They even tried to stop us from preaching to the Gentiles the message that would bring them salvation. In this way they have brought to completion all the sins they have always committed. And now God's anger has at last come down on them!
Paul's Desire to Visit Them Again
17 As for us, friends, when we were separated from you for a little while—not in our thoughts, of course, but only in body—how we missed you and how hard we tried to see you again! 18 We wanted to return to you. I myself tried to go back more than once, but Satan would not let us. 19 After all, it is you—you, no less than others!—who are our hope, our joy, and our reason for boasting of our victory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes. 20 Indeed, you are our pride and our joy!
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 2:7 we were gentle when we were with you, like a mother; some manuscripts have we were like children when we were with you; we were like a mother.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
