1 Thessalonians 2

1For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not in vain.

2Though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated in Philippi, as you know, we had the courage in our God to tell you the gospel of God in the face of great opposition.

3For our appeal does not come from error or impure motives, nor is it an attempt to deceive.

4Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people but to please God, who tests our hearts.

5For we never came with flattering words, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness—

6nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we could have made demands on you.

7Instead, we became like little children among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children,

8so we cared deeply for you and were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.

9For you remember, brothers and sisters, our labor and hardship. We worked night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers.

11For you know that, like a father with his own children, we dealt with each one of you, encouraging, comforting, and urging you

12to live in a way worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

13And we also thank God constantly for this: when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it truly is, the word of God, which is also at work in you who believe.

14For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. You suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,

15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove us out. They do not please God and are hostile to all people,

16hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. So they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last.

17But we, brothers and sisters, after being torn away from you for a short time, in person but not in heart, were all the more eager with great longing to see you face to face.

18For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—but Satan blocked our way.

19For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?

20Yes, you are our glory and our joy.