1 Thessalonians 2

NEW JERUSALEM	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 You know yourselves, my brothers, that our visit to you has not been pointless.	1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our visit to you was not in vain;
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 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the face of great opposition.
3 Our encouragement to you does not come from any delusion or impure motives or trickery.	3 For our appeal does not spring from error or uncleanness, nor is it made with guile;
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 approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but 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 For we never used either words of flattery, as you know, or a cloak for greed, 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 glory from men, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.
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 But we were gentle among you, like a nurse taking care of 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, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear 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 our labor and toil, brethren; we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you, while we preached 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 God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our behavior to you believers;
11 As you know, we treated every one of you as a father treats his children,	11 for you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you
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 to lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own 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 we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
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, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judea; for you suffered the same things from your own countrymen 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 drove us out, and displease God and oppose 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 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they may be saved--so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But God's wrath has come upon them at last!
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 But since we were bereft of you, brethren, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face;
18 and we tried hard to come and visit you; I, Paul, tried more than once, but Satan prevented us.	18 because we wanted to come to you--I, Paul, again and again--but Satan hindered 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 of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?
20 You are, for you are our pride and joy.	20 For you are our glory and joy.