1Th 2 | NASB1995 | STEP | For you yourselves know , brethren , that our coming to you was not in vain ,

1 Thessalonians 2

Paul’s Ministry

1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our ^{▼▼ Lit entrance
,} ^bcoming to you ^cwas not in vain, 2 but after we had already suffered and been ^dmistreated in ^ePhilippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God ^fto speak to you the ^ggospel of God amid much ^{▼▼ Or struggle, conflict
,} ⁱopposition. 3 For our ^jexhortation does not come from ^kerror or ^limpurity or ^{▼▼ Lit in deceit}by way of ⁿdeceit; 4 ^obut just as we have been approved by God to be ^pentrusted with the gospel, so we speak, ^qnot as pleasing men, but God who ^{▼▼ Or approves
,} ^sexamines our hearts. 5 For we never came ^{▼▼ Lit in a word of flattery}with flattering speech, as you know, nor with ^ua pretext for greed— ^vGod is witness— 6 nor did we ^wseek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as ^xapostles of Christ ^{▼▼ Lit being able to}we might have ^{▼▼ Or be burdensome}asserted our authority. 7 But we ^{▼▼ Or became gentle}proved to be ^{▼▼ Three early mss read babes
,} ^acgentle ^{▼▼ Lit in the midst of you}among you, ^aeas a nursing mother ^{▼▼ Or cherishes}tenderly cares for her own children. 8 Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to ^agimpart to you not only the ^ahgospel of God but also our own ^{▼▼ Or souls}lives, because you had become ^{▼▼ Lit beloved}very dear to us.

9 For you recall, brethren, our ^aklabor and hardship, how ^alworking night and day so as not to be a ^amburden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the ^angospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and so is ^aoGod, ^aphow devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we ^{▼▼ Lit became}behaved toward you ^{▼▼ Or who believe}believers; 11 just as you know how we were ^asexhorting and encouraging and ^{▼▼ Or testifying to
,} ^auimploring each one of you as ^ava father would his own children, 12 so that you would ^awwalk in a manner worthy of the God who ^axcalls you into His own kingdom and ^ayglory.

13 For this reason we also constantly ^azthank God that when you received the ^baword of God which you heard from us, you accepted it ^bbnot as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, ^bcwhich also performs its work in you who believe. 14 For you, brethren, became ^bdimitators of ^bethe churches of God in Christ Jesus that are ^bfin Judea, for ^bgyou also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, ^bheven as they did from the Jews, 15 ^biwho both killed the Lord Jesus and ^bjthe prophets, and ^{▼▼ Or persecuted us}drove us out. ^{▼▼ Lit and}They are not pleasing to God, ^{▼▼ Lit and}but hostile to all men, 16 ^bnhindering us from speaking to the Gentiles ^boso that they may be saved; with the result that they always ^bpfill up the measure of their sins. But ^bqwrath has come upon them ^{▼▼ Or forever or altogether; lit to the end}to the utmost.

17 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a ^{▼▼ Lit occasion of an hour}short while— ^btin ^{▼▼ Lit face}person, not in ^{▼▼ Lit heart}spirit— were all the more eager with great desire ^bwto see your face. 18 ^{▼▼ Or Because}For ^bywe wanted to come to you— I, Paul, ^{▼▼ Lit both once and twice
,} ^camore than once— and yet ^cbSatan ^cchindered us. 19 For who is our hope or ^cdjoy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His ^{▼▼ Or presence
,} ^cfcoming? 20 For you are ^cgour glory and joy.