1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that ourfch. 1:9 coming to youg[2 Thess. 1:10] was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treatedhActs 16:22-24 at Philippi, as you know,iSee Acts 4:13 we had boldness in our GodjActs 17:2-9 to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of muchkPhil. 1:30 conflict. 3 Forl[2 Cor. 2:17] our appeal does not spring fromm2 Thess. 2:11 error ornch. 4:7 impurity oro2 Cor. 4:2 any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by GodpSee Gal. 2:7 to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, notqSee Gal. 1:10 to please man, but to please GodrPs. 17:3; See Rom. 8:27 who tests our hearts. 5 sSee Acts 20:33 For we never came with words of flattery,1Or with a flattering speech as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—tver. 10; See Rom. 1:9 God is witness. 6 u[2 Cor. 4:5]; See John 5:41 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others,v1 Cor. 9:4; 2 Thess. 3:9; [Philem. 8, 9] though we could have madew[ver. 9; 2 Cor. 11:9] demands asxSee 1 Cor. 9:1 apostles of Christ. 7 But we werey2 Tim. 2:24; [1 Cor. 14:20] gentle among you,z[ver. 11; Isa. 49:23; 60:16] like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of GodaSee 2 Cor. 12:15 but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
9 For you remember, brothers,b2 Thess. 3:8; [Phil. 4:16] our labor and toil: wecSee Acts 18:3 worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, anddver. 5 God also,eSee ch. 1:5 how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how,f[ver. 7]; See 1 Cor. 4:14 like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you andgEph. 4:17 chargedhSee Eph. 4:1 you to walk in a manner worthy of God,ich. 5:24; 2 Thess. 2:14; 1 Pet. 5:10; See Rom. 8:28 who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
13 AndjSee ch. 1:2, 3 we also thank God constantly1Or without ceasing for this, that when you receivedk[Rom. 10:17] the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted itl[Gal. 4:14]; See Matt. 10:20 not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God,mHeb. 4:12 which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers,nSee ch. 1:6 became imitators ofoSee 1 Cor. 7:17 the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. Forpch. 3:4; Acts 17:5; 2 Thess. 1:4, 5 you suffered the same things from your own countrymenq[Heb. 10:33, 34] as they did from the Jews, 15 rSee Luke 24:20 who killed both the Lord Jesus andsJer. 2:30; Matt. 23:29-34; See Matt. 5:12 the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God andt[Esth. 3:8] oppose all mankind 16 uActs 13:45, 50; 14:2, 19; 17:5, 13; 18:12; 22:21, 22 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as alwaysvSee Gen. 15:16 to fill up the measure of their sins. ButwSee ch. 1:10 God's wrath has come upon them at last!1Or completely, or forever
17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time,x1 Cor. 5:3; Col. 2:5 in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desireych. 3:10 to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but SatanzRom. 15:22; [Rom. 1:13] hindered us. 19 For what is our hope oraSee Phil. 4:1 joy or crown of boastingb1 Cor. 15:31; [2 Thess. 1:4]; See 2 Cor. 1:14 before our Lord Jesus at hiscch. 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; Matt. 24:3; 1 Cor. 15:23; 2 Thess. 2:1, 8; James 5:7, 8; 2 Pet. 1:16; 3:4, 12; 1 John 2:28 coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.