1 Thessalonians

Paul’s Ministry

1You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain.

2As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.

3For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery.

4Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.

5As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!

6Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.

7On the contrary, we were gentle among you,like a nursing mother caring for her children.

8We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.

9Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone 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 among you who believed.

11For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children—

12encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

13And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe.

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

15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,

16hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.

Paul’s Longing to Visit

17Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense.

18For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.

19After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

20You are indeed our glory and our joy.

1For yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto you, that it hath not been found vain:

2but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in much conflict.

3For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

4but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts.

5For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness;

6nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.

7But we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own children:

8even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were become very dear to us.

9For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

10Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and righteously and unblamably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe:

11as ye know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging you, and testifying,

12to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory.

13And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe.

14For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judæa in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews;

15who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove out us, and please not God, and are contrary to all men;

16forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always: but the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

17But we, brethren, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence not in heart, endeavored the more exceedingly to see your face with great desire:

18because we would fain have come unto you, I Paul once and again; and Satan hindered us.

19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

20For ye are our glory and our joy.