1 Thessalonians 2

1Brothers and sisters, you know that our visit to you was not a failure.

2We had already suffered and been treated shamefully in Philippi, as you know. But with the help of our God, we were bold enough to tell you the good news of God, even though many opposed us.

3The message we bring does not come from lies, from wrong motives, or from any trick.

4Instead, God has tested us and trusted us with the good news, so we speak to please God, not people. God is the one who tests our hearts.

5You know that we never used flattering words, and never used a cover-up for greed. God is our witness.

6We were not looking for praise from people — not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ, we could have made demands on you,

7but instead we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.

8We loved you so much that we were glad to share with you not only the good news of God, but our own lives as well, because you had become dear to us.

9Brothers and sisters, you remember how hard we worked. Night and day we worked so that we would not be a burden to any of you while we preached the good news of God to you.

10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, right, and blameless we were toward you who believe.

11You know that we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children.

12We encouraged you, comforted you, and urged you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

13We also thank God all the time because, when you received the message of God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as what it really is — the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

14For you, brothers and sisters, became like the churches of God in Judea, the people who belong to Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own people the same things they suffered from the Jews,

15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who drove us out. They do not please God, and they are against everyone.

16They try to stop us from speaking to the other nations so that those people can be saved. In this way they keep piling up their sins. But God's anger has come on them at last.

17Brothers and sisters, we were separated from you for a short time — in body, but not in heart. So we tried very hard, with deep longing, to see you again.

18We wanted to come to you. I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan stopped us.

19After all, what is our hope, our joy, the crown we will be proud of when our Lord Jesus comes? Is it not you?

20Yes, you are our glory and our joy.