1 Thessalonians
Chapter 2
Overview
Paul reminds the believers in Thessalonica how he and his coworkers behaved when they first arrived. They had already suffered elsewhere, and their welcome here was hardly peaceful, yet they spoke openly and worked hard to avoid becoming a burden. Paul defends their motives: they were not chasing money, praise, or control. Instead, they cared for the community with the tenderness of parents. The chapter then turns from memory to longing. Though opposition has separated them, Paul insists that distance has touched their faces, not their hearts.
1Brothers and sisters, you yourselves know that our visit to you was not a failure.
2As you know, we had already suffered and been shamefully treated in Philippi. Even so, our God gave us courage to tell you his good news in the face of intense opposition.
3Our appeal does not come from error, corrupt motives, or an attempt to deceive anyone.
4Instead, we speak as people whom God has examined and approved to be entrusted with the good news. We are not trying to please people, but God, who examines our deepest motives.
5You know that we never used flattery or hid greed behind an excuse. God is our witness.
6We did not seek praise from people—from you or from anyone else.
7As messengers sent by the Messiah, we could have made heavy demands on you. Instead, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother tenderly caring for her own children.
8We cared for you so deeply that we were glad to share with you not only God’s good news but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.
9Brothers and sisters, you remember our hard work and exhausting labor. We worked night and day so that we would not burden any of you while we announced God’s good news to you.
10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devoted to God, fair, and beyond reproach our conduct was toward you who believe.
11You know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children.
12We encouraged you, comforted you, and urged you to live in a way worthy of God, who calls you to enter his kingdom and share his glory.
13This is also why we constantly thank God. When you heard God’s message from us, you accepted it not as a human message but as what it truly is: God’s message, which is also at work in you who believe.
14Brothers and sisters, you followed the example of God’s communities in Judea that are united with Messiah Jesus. You suffered from your own people just as those communities suffered from their fellow Jews.
15Those people killed the Lord Jesus and God’s prophets, and they drove us out. They displease God and oppose everyone,
16because they try to stop us from speaking to non-Jews so that God may rescue them. In this way, they keep filling their sins to the limit. But punishment has caught up with them at last.
17Brothers and sisters, after we were torn away from you for a short time—physically, but not in our hearts—we longed for you deeply and made every effort to see you face to face.
18We wanted to come to you. I, Paul, tried more than once, but Satan, the enemy of God, blocked our way.
19After all, who is our hope, our joy, or the victor’s crown we will proudly celebrate before our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?
20Yes, you are our honor and our joy.