1Th 2 | NASB2020 | STEP | For you yourselves know , brothers and sisters, that our reception among you was not in vain ,

‏ 1 Thessalonians 2

Paul’s Ministry

1 For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our ^{▼▼Or coming to you} ^breception among you ^cwas not in vain, 2 but after we had already suffered and been ^dtreated abusively in ^ePhilippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God ^fto speak to you the ^ggospel of God ^{▼▼Or during}amid much ^{▼▼Or struggle; or conflict} ^jopposition. 3 For our ^kexhortation does not come from ^lerror or ^mimpurity or ^{▼▼Lit in deceit}by way of ^odeceit; 4 ^pbut just as we have been approved by God to be ^qentrusted with the gospel, so we speak, ^rnot intending to please people, but to please God, who ^{▼▼Or approves} ^texamines our hearts. 5 For we never came ^{▼▼Lit in a word of flattery}with flattering speech, as you know, nor with ^va pretext ^{▼▼I.e., to conceal greed}for greed-- ^xGod is our witness-- 6 nor did we ^yseek honor from people, either from you or from others, though ^{▼▼Lit being able to}we could have ^{▼▼Or been burdensome as}asserted our authority as ^abapostles of Christ. 7 But we ^{▼▼Or became gentle}proved to be ^{▼▼Three early mss infants} ^aegentle ^{▼▼Lit in the midst of you}among you. ^agAs a nursing mother ^{▼▼Or cherishes}tenderly cares for her own children, 8 in the same way we had a fond affection for you and were delighted to ^aishare with you not only the ^ajgospel of God, but also our own ^{▼▼Or souls}lives, because you had become ^{▼▼Lit beloved}very dear to us.

9 For you recall, brothers and sisters, our ^amlabor and hardship: it was by ^anworking night and day so as not to be a ^aoburden to any of you, that we proclaimed to you the ^apgospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and so is ^aqGod, of ^arhow devoutly and rightly and blamelessly we ^{▼▼Lit became}behaved toward you ^{▼▼Or who believe}believers; 11 just as you know how we were ^auexhorting and encouraging and ^avimploring each one of you as ^awa father would his own children, 12 so that you would ^axwalk in a manner worthy of the God who ^aycalls you into His own kingdom and ^azglory.

13 For this reason we also constantly ^bathank God that when you received the ^bbword of God which you heard from us, you accepted it ^bcnot as the word of mere men, but as what it really is, the word of God, ^bdwhich also is at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became ^beimitators of ^bfthe churches of God in Christ Jesus that are ^bgin Judea, for ^bhyou also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, ^bieven as they did from the Jews, 15 ^bjwho both killed the Lord Jesus and ^bkthe prophets, and ^{▼▼Or persecuted us}drove us out. ^{▼▼Lit and}They are not pleasing to God, ^{▼▼Lit and}but hostile to all people, 16 ^bohindering us from speaking to the Gentiles ^bpso that they may be saved; with the result that they always ^{▼▼Lit complete their} ^brreach the limit of their sins. But ^bswrath has come upon them ^{▼▼Or forever; lit to the end}fully.

17 But we, brothers and sisters, having been orphaned from you by absence for a ^{▼▼Lit occasion of an hour}short while-- ^bvin ^{▼▼Lit face}person, not in ^{▼▼Lit heart}spirit--were all the more eager with great desire ^byto see your face. 18 ^{▼▼Or Because}For ^cawe wanted to come to you--I, Paul, ^{▼▼Lit both once and twice} ^ccmore than once--and ^cdSatan ^cehindered us. 19 For who is our hope, or ^cfjoy or crown of pride, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His ^{▼▼Or presence} ^chcoming? Or is it not indeed you? 20 For you are ^ciour glory and joy.