1 Thessalonians 2

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 You know yourselves, my brothers, that our visit to you has not been pointless.	1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our acceptance among you was not empty.
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 Instead, having previously suffered and been treated shamefully, as you know, at Philippi, we had confidence in our God, so as to speak the Gospel of God to you with much solicitude.
3 Our encouragement to you does not come from any delusion or impure motives or trickery.	3 For our exhortation was not in error, nor from impurity, nor with 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, just as we have been tested by God, so that the Gospel would be entrusted to us, so also did we speak, not so as to please men, but rather to please God, who tests 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 And neither did we, at any time, become flattering in speech, as you know, nor did we seek an opportunity for avarice, as 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 the glory of men, neither from you, nor 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 And although we could have been a burden to you, as Apostles of Christ, instead we became like little ones in your midst, like a nurse cherishing 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 So desirous were we for you that we were willing to hand over to you, not only the Gospel of God, but even our own souls. For you have become most beloved 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 For you remember, brothers, our hardship and weariness. We preached the Gospel of God among you, working night and day, so that we would not be burdensome to any of you.
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, as is God, of how holy and just and blameless we were with you who have believed.
11 As you know, we treated every one of you as a father treats his children,	11 And you know the manner, with each one of you, like a father with his sons,
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 in which we were pleading with you and consoling you, bearing witness, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of God, who has called 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 For this reason also, we give thanks to God without ceasing: because, when you had accepted from us the Word of the hearing of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but (as it truly is) as the Word of God, who is working in you who have believed.
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 which are at Judea, in Christ Jesus. For you, too, have suffered the same things from your fellow countrymen as they have suffered 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 also killed both the Lord Jesus, and the Prophets, and who have persecuted us. But they do not please God, and so they are adversaries to all men.
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 They prohibit us to speak to the Gentiles, so that they may be saved, and thus do they continually add to their own sins. But the wrath of God will overtake them in the very end.
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 And we, brothers, having been deprived of you for a short time, in sight, but not in heart, have hurried all the more to see your face, with a great desire.
18 and we tried hard to come and visit you; I, Paul, tried more than once, but Satan prevented us.	18 For we wanted to come to you, (indeed, I, Paul, attempted to do so once, and then again,) but Satan impeded 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, and our joy, and our crown of glory? Is it not you, before our Lord Jesus Christ at his return?
20 You are, for you are our pride and joy.	20 For you are our glory and our joy.