1Th 2 | ESV | STEP | For you yourselves know , brothers , that our coming to you was not in vain .

1 Thessalonians 2

Paul’s Ministry to the Thessalonians

1 For you yourselves know, brothers, ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters; also verses 9, 14, 17} that our ^bcoming to you ^cwas not in vain. 2 But 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. 3 For ^hour appeal does not spring from ⁱerror or ^jimpurity or ^kany attempt to deceive, 4 but 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 ^tdemands as ^uapostles of Christ. 7 But we were ^vgentle ^{▼▼Some manuscripts infants} among you, ^xlike a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, 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.

9 For 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. 10 You are witnesses, and ^abGod also, ^achow holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, ^adlike a father with his children, 12 we 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.

13 And ^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. 14 For 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

17 But 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, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan ^bbhindered us. 19 For what is our hope or ^bcjoy or crown of boasting ^bdbefore our Lord Jesus at his ^becoming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.