1 Thessalonians 2:1–16

Paul’s Conduct

2For you yourselves know, brothers, that our visit ^dwith you was not without result. ²On the contrary, after we had previously suffered, ^eand we were treated outrageously in Philippi, ^fas you know, we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition. ³For our exhortation didn’t come from error or impurity ^gor an intent to deceive. ^h4Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted ⁱwith the gospel, ^jso we speak, not to please men, but rather God, ^kwho examines our hearts. ^l5For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedy ^mmotives ⁿ—God is our witness ^o— ⁶and we didn’t seek glory ^pfrom people, either from you or from others. ⁷Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles, ^qinstead we were gentle ^ramong you, as a nursing mother nurtures her own children. ⁸We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. ⁹For you remember our labor and hardship, brothers. Working ^snight and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you. ¹⁰You are witnesses, ^tand so is God, of how devoutly, righteously, ^uand blamelessly ^vwe conducted ourselves with you believers. ¹¹As you know, like a father with his own children, ^w12we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, ^xwho calls you into His own kingdom ^yand glory. ^z

Reception and Opposition to the Message

¹³This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the message about God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, ^athe message of God, ^bwhich also works effectively in you believers. ¹⁴For you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, ^csince you have also suffered ^dthe same things from people of your own country, ^ejust as they did from the Jews ¹⁵who killed both the Lord Jesus ^fand the prophets and persecuted us; ^gthey displease God and are hostile to everyone, ¹⁶hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. As a result, they are always completing the number of their sins, ^hand wrath has overtaken them at last. ⁱ