1 Thessalonians 2
2 1For yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto you, that it
hath not been found vain:
2but having suffered before and been shamefully
treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak unto you
the gospel of God in much conflict.
3For our exhortation is not
of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
4but even as we have been
approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing
men, but God who proveth our hearts.
5For neither at any time were we
found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God
is witness;
6nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others,
when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.
7But we were
gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own children:
8even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to
impart unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because
ye were become very dear to us.
9For ye remember, brethren, our labor and
travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we
preached unto you the gospel of God.
10Ye are witnesses, and God
also, how holily and righteously and unblameably we behaved ourselves
toward you that believe:
11as ye know how we dealt with each one
of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging
you, and testifying,
12to the end that ye should walk worthily of
God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory.
13And for this cause
we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of
the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not
as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which
also worketh in you that believe.
14For ye, brethren, became imitators of
the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered
the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews;
15who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove out us, and
pleased not God, and are contrary to all men;
16forbidding us to speak to
the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always: but the
wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
17But we, brethren, being
bereaved of you for a short season, in presence not in heart, endeavored the
more exceedingly to see your face with great desire:
18because we would
fain have come unto you, I Paul once and again; and Satan hindered us.
19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye,
before our Lord Jesus at his coming?
20For ye are our glory and our
joy.
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