Chapter 2
1 For you yourselves know , brothers, our visit to you wasn’ t in vain ,
2 but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know , at Philippi , we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.
3 For our exhortation is not of error , nor of uncleanness, nor in deception .
4 But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News , so we speak — not as pleasing men , but God , who tests our hearts .
5 For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know , nor a cloak of covetousness ( God is witness ),
6 nor seeking glory from men ( neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ .
7 But we were gentle amongst you , like a nursing mother cherishes her own children .
8 Even so , affectionately longing for you , we were well pleased to impart to you not the Good News of God only , but also our own souls , because you had become very dear to us .
9 For you remember , brothers, our labour and travail ; for working night and day , that we might not burden any of you , we preached to you the Good News of God .
10 You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously , and blamelessly we behaved ourselves towards you who believe .
11 As you know , we exhorted , comforted , and implored every one of you , as a father does his own children ,
12 to the end that you should walk worthily of God , who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory .
13 For this cause we also thank God without ceasing that when you received from us the word of the message of God , you accepted it not as the word of men , but as it is in truth, God ’s word , which also works in you who believe .
14 For you , brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus ; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen , even as they did from the Jews
15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets , and drove us out , and don’ t please God , and are contrary to all men ,
16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved , to fill up their sins always . But wrath has come on them to the uttermost .
17 But we , brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season in presence , not in heart , tried even harder to see your face with great desire ,
18 because we wanted to come to you — indeed , I , Paul , once and again — but Satan hindered us .
19 For what is our hope , or joy , or crown of rejoicing ? Isn’ t it even you , before our Lord Jesus at his coming ?
20 For you are our glory and our joy .