1 Thessalonians

1For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn’t in vain,

2but 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.

3For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception.

4But 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.

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

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

7But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

8Even 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.

9For 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.

10You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.

11As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children,

12to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.

13For 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.

14For 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

15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and don’t please 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 wrath has come on them to the uttermost.

17But 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,

18because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.

19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our Lord Jesusat his coming?

20For you are 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.