1 Thessalonians 2

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 You know yourselves, my brothers, that our visit to you has not been pointless.	1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our reception among you was not without effect.
2 Although, as you know, we had received rough treatment and insults at Philippi, God gave us thecourage to speak his gospel to you fearlessly, in spite of great opposition.	2 Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated, as you know, in Philippi, we drew courage through our God to speak to you the gospel of God with much struggle.
3 Our encouragement to you does not come from any delusion or impure motives or trickery.	3 Our exhortation was not from delusion or impure motives, nor did it work through deception.
4 No, God has approved us to be entrusted with the gospel, and this is how we preach, seeking to pleasenot human beings but God who tests our hearts.	4 But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the gospel, that is how we speak, not as trying to please human beings,but rather God, who judges our hearts.
5 Indeed, we have never acted with the thought of flattering anyone, as you know, nor as an excuse forgreed, God is our witness;	5 Nor, indeed, did we ever appear with flattering speech, as you know, or with a pretext for greed--God is witness--
6 nor have we ever looked for honour from human beings, either from you or anybody else,	6 nor did we seek praise from human beings, either from you or from others,
7 when we could have imposed ourselves on you with full weight, as apostles of Christ. Instead, we livedunassumingly among you. Like a mother feeding and looking after her children,	7 although we were able to impose our weight as apostles of Christ. Rather, we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children.
8 we felt so devoted to you, that we would have been happy to share with you not only the gospel of God,but also our own lives, so dear had you become.	8 With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us.
9 You remember, brothers, with what unsparing energy we used to work, slaving night and day so as notto be a burden on any one of you while we were proclaiming the gospel of God to you.	9 You recall, brothers, our toil and drudgery. Working night and day in order not to burden any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
10 You are witnesses, and so is God, that our treatment of you, since you believed, has been impeccablyfair and upright.	10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers.
11 As you know, we treated every one of you as a father treats his children,	11 As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children,
12 urging you, encouraging you and appealing to you to live a life worthy of God, who cal s you into hiskingdom and his glory.	12 exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you conduct yourselves as worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
13 Another reason why we continual y thank God for you is that as soon as you heard the word that webrought you as God's message, you welcomed it for what it really is, not the word of any human being, but God'sword, a power that is working among you believers.	13 And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that,in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God, which is now atwork in you who believe.
14 For you, my brothers, have model ed yourselves on the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are inJudaea, in that you have suffered the same treatment from your own countrymen as they have had from theJews,	14 For you, brothers, have become imitators of the churches of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you suffer the same things from your compatriots as they did from the Jews,
15 who put the Lord Jesus to death, and the prophets too, and persecuted us also. Their conduct doesnot please God, and makes them the enemies of the whole human race,	15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us; they do not please God, and are opposed to everyone,
16 because they are hindering us from preaching to gentiles to save them. Thus al the time they arereaching the ful extent of their iniquity, but retribution has final y overtaken them.	16 trying to prevent us from speaking to the Gentiles that they may be saved, thus constantly filling up the measure of their sins. But the wrath of God has finally begun to come upon them.
17 Although we had been deprived of you for only a short time in body but never in affection, brothers, wehad an especially strong desire and longing to see you face to face again,	17 Brothers, when we were bereft of you for a short time, in person, not in heart, we were all the more eager in our great desire to see you in person.
18 and we tried hard to come and visit you; I, Paul, tried more than once, but Satan prevented us.	18 We decided to go to you--I, Paul, not only once but more than once--yet Satan thwarted us.
19 What do you think is our hope and our joy, and what our crown of honour in the presence of our LordJesus when he comes?	19 For what is our hope or joy or crown to boast of in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming if not you yourselves?
20 You are, for you are our pride and joy.	20 For you are our glory and joy.