oSee Acts 20:33
uSee 1 Cor. 9:1
ySee 2 Cor. 12:15
ahSee ch. 1:2, 3
aoSee 1 Cor. 7:17
asSee Luke 24:20
awSee Gen. 15:16
1 Thessalonians 2
Paul’s Ministry to the Thessalonians
1For you yourselves know, brothers, ▼▼Or brothers and sisters; also verses 9, 14, 17
that our bcoming to you cwas not in vain. 2But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated dat Philippi, as you know, ewe had boldness in our God fto declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much gconflict. 3For hour appeal does not spring from ierror or jimpurity or kany attempt to deceive, 4but just as we have been approved by God lto be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not mto please man, but to please God nwho tests our hearts. 5 oFor we never came with words of flattery, ▼▼Or with a flattering speech
as you know, nor with a pretext for greed— qGod is witness. 6 rNor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, sthough we could have made demands tas uapostles of Christ. 7But we were vgentle ▼▼Some manuscripts infants
among you, xlike a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God ybut also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. 9For you remember, brothers, zour labor and toil: we aaworked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10You are witnesses, and abGod also, achow holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11For you know how, adlike a father with his children, 12we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and aecharged afyou to walk in a manner worthy of God, agwho calls you into his own kingdom and glory. 13And ahwe also thank God constantly ▼▼Or without ceasing
for this, that when you received ajthe word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it aknot as the word of men ▼▼The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
but as what it really is, the word of God, amwhich is at work in you believers. 14For you, brothers, anbecame imitators of aothe churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For apyou suffered the same things from your own countrymen aqas they did from the Jews, ▼▼The Greek word Ioudaioi can refer to Jewish religious leaders and others under their influence, who opposed the Christian faith in that time
15 aswho killed both the Lord Jesus and atthe prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and auoppose all mankind 16 avby hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always awto fill up the measure of their sins. But axwrath has come upon them at last! ▼▼Or completely, or forever
Paul’s Longing to See Them Again
17But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, azin person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire bato see you face to face, 18because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan bbhindered us. 19For what is our hope or bcjoy or crown of boasting bdbefore our Lord Jesus at his becoming? Is it not you? 20For you are our glory and joy.
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