1 Thessalonians Chapter 2

Paul’s History with the Thessalonians

¹ Our coming to you proved to be productive. ² As you know, after we’d suffered and been treated disgracefully, we gathered up the courage in our God to present his good news to you during our struggles. ³ We didn’t pressure you with deception, impure motives, or treachery. ⁴ But, we spoke the way we did since God approved us and entrusted us with the good news. We weren’t trying to please people, but God, who was approving our intentions. ⁵ God is witness: we never stooped to flattery or veiled greed, ⁶ or tried to get honor from you or anybody else. ⁷ Though as Christ’s apostles, we could’ve expected you to support us, we were gentle among you like a nurse taking care of her kids. ⁸ Since you became so dear to us, we enjoyed sharing with you God’s good news and our very selves. ⁹ You remember our labor and hardship, how we worked day and night so we wouldn’t burden you while we presented his good news to you. ¹⁰ Along with God, you can confirm how devoutly, uprightly, blamelessly we carried ourselves among you— ¹¹ like a father with his kids. ¹² We urged you, encouraged you, and testified to you to live worthy of the One that was calling you to his kingdom and honor.                                                                                           1 Th 2:1-12

Their Openness to the Good News

¹³ That’s why we’re constantly grateful to God. When you heard his message, you accepted it, not as a human message, but as it really is, God’s message that’s at work in you. ¹⁴ You followed the example of the churches of God in Christ: you suffered the same things from your countrymen that they did from the Jews— ¹⁵ who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, drove us out, and haven’t been pleasing to God. They’ve been hostile to everybody ¹⁶ and tried to keep us from speaking to Gentiles about salvation, always piling up their own sins. But fury will come on them in the end.                                                                            

¹⁷ We’ve been away from you for a little while—in person, not in heart. ¹⁸ We’ve really wanted to see you, but Satan prevented it time and again. ¹⁹ Who is our hope, our joy, the crown we’ll be proud of when the Lord Jesus comes? Aren’t you our joy and honor?         1 Th 2:13-19