1 Thessalonians 2

1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our entrance to you⁺ has not been in vain.

2 But having previously suffered and having been mistreated (just as you⁺ know) in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you⁺ the gospel of God in much struggle.

3 For our exhortation [was] not out of deceit, nor out of impurity, nor in trickery;

4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, the One proving our hearts.

5 For neither at any time were we with a word of flattery, just as you⁺ know, nor with a pretext for greed—God [is] witness—

6 nor seeking glory from men, nor from you⁺, nor from others, [though] having power to be with authority as apostles of Christ.

7 But we were gentle in your⁺ midst, as a nursing mother should cherish her own children.

8 So yearning over you⁺, we were well pleased to have imparted to you⁺ not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you⁺ have become beloved to us.

9 For you⁺ remember, brothers, our labor and toil: Working night and day in order not to be burdensome upon any of you⁺, we proclaimed to you⁺ the gospel of God.

10 You⁺ [are] witnesses, and God, how devoutly and righteously and blamelessly we behaved toward you⁺, those believing,

11 just as you⁺ know how, each one of you⁺, as a father his own children,

12 [we] were exhorting and comforting you⁺ and charging unto you⁺ to walk worthily of God, the One calling you⁺ into His own kingdom and glory.

13 And because of this, we also give thanks to God unceasingly that, having received the word of God, hearing from us, you⁺ accepted, not the word of men, but just as truly it is, the word of God, which also works in you⁺, those believing.

14 For you⁺ became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God being in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you⁺ also suffered the same [things] from [your] own countrymen as they also [did] from the Jews,

15 who, having killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and having driven us out; and [they are] not pleasing God and contrary to all men,

16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles so that they might be saved, so as to fill up their sins always. Now the wrath has come upon them to the end.

17 But we, brothers, having been bereaved of you⁺ for the time of an hour—in face, not in heart—were more abundantly eager with much desire to see your⁺ face.

18 Therefore we wanted to come to you⁺—indeed I, Paul, both once and twice—and Satan obstructed us.

19 For who [is] our hope or joy or crown of boasting? Or [are] not even you⁺, before our Lord Jesus at His coming?

20 For you⁺ are our glory and joy.