The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Thessalonians 02
1 For you yourselves know, brothers, our
visit to you wasn’t in vain,
2 but having suffered before and been
shamefully treated, as you know, at
Philippi, we grew bold in our God to
tell you the Good News of God in much
conflict.
3 For our exhortation is not of error, nor
of uncleanness, nor in deception.
4 But even as we have been approved by
God to be entrusted with the Good News,
so we speak—not as pleasing men, but God,
who tests our hearts.
5 For neither were we at any time found
using words of flattery, as you know, nor a
cloak of covetousness (God is witness),
6 nor seeking glory from men (neither
from you nor from others), when we
might have claimed authority as apostles
of Christ.
7 But we were gentle among you, like
a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
8 Even so, affectionately longing for you,
we were well pleased to impart to you not
the Good News of God only, but also our
own souls, because you had become very
dear to us.
9 For you remember, brothers, our labor
and travail; for working night and day,
that we might not burden any of you, we
preached to you the Good News of God.
10 You are witnesses with God how holy,
righteously, and blamelessly we behaved
ourselves toward you who believe.
11 As you know, we exhorted, comforted,
and implored every one of you, as a father
does his own children,
12 to the end that you should walk
worthily of God, who calls you into his own
Kingdom and glory.
13 For this cause we also thank God without
ceasing that when you received from
us the word of the message of God, you
accepted it not as the word of men, but as
it is in truth, God’s word, which also works
in you who believe.
14 For you, brothers, became imitators of
the assemblies of God which are in Judea
in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the
same things from your own countrymen,
even as they did from the Jews
15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and
their own prophets, and drove us out, and
don’t please God, and are contrary to all
men, 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles
that they may be saved, to fill up their sins
always. But wrath has come on them to the
uttermost.
17 But we, brothers, being bereaved of
you for a short season in presence, not in
heart, tried even harder to see your face
with great desire,
18 because we wanted to come to you—
indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan
hindered us.
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown
of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our
Lord Jesus† at his coming?
20 For you are our glory and our joy