1 Thessalonians

¹You certainly know, brethren, that our visit to you was not in vain! ²Having suffered before and having been shamefully treated in Philippi, as you know, we became bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in a context of much conflict. ³Certainly, our exhortation does not come from error, impurity, or deception. ⁴But since we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, this is how we speak, not to please people, but God who tests our hearts. ⁵We never used flattering words, as you know, and we never put a mask over greed (as God is witness). ⁶We did not seek glory from men (neither from you nor from others), even though we could have claimed authority as apostles of Christ. ⁷Instead, we were gentle²⁰²⁰ among you, as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

⁸We became so devoted to you that we were pleased to share not only the Good News of God but also our very souls, because you had become very dear to us. ⁹Remember, brethren, our labor and hardship: we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you as we preached to you the Good News of God. ¹⁰You are witnesses with God, how in holiness, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe. ¹¹As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children, ¹²with the purpose that you should live worthily of God who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory. ¹³For this reason, we also thank God without ceasing that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth: the word of God. And it is at work in you who believe! ¹⁴Indeed, brethren, you became imitators of the Churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judea, for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews. ¹⁵They killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and they drove us out. Their conduct does not please God and makes them the enemies of the entire human race ¹⁶as they want to prevent us from speaking to the Gentiles, so that they may be saved. They are still bringing their sins to full measure, but the wrath is finally coming upon them.

Paul’s plans

¹⁷Brethren, although we were deprived of your presence for a short time (yet not in affection), we tried even harder to see you face to face with great eagerness. ¹⁸Therefore we wanted to come to you. Certainly, I, Paul, wanted to come again and again—but Satan prevented us. ¹⁹For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not you, when our Lord Jesus Christ²⁰²¹ comes? ²⁰Truly, you are our glory and our joy!

2020. Or “as young children”
2021. Some manuscripts omit “Christ”