1 Thessalonians 2
1 For you have seen for yourselves, Family, that our arrival with you has not been pointless.a 2 Instead, after previously suffering and being treated abusively, as you know about, in Philippi we had courage in connection with our God to tell you God’s triumphant message amid considerable conflict. 3 Our calling is not a mistake, neither is it because of uncleanness nor through deceit; 4 rather, since we have been evaluated as appropriate by God to be entrusted with the triumphant message, we speak it, not as striving to please people but God, who evaluates our motivations.b
5 You see, we have never appeared with a flattering message, as you have seen, nor with a pretense motivated by greed—God is our witness— 6 nor seeking fame from people—neither from you nor from others—having the power to be a burden as emissaries of Christ. 7 Instead, we made ourselves unassumingc among you, as if we were a nursing mother nurturing her own children. 8 In the same way, as we were longing affectionately for you, it seemed good to us to share with you not only the triumphant message of God but also our own very beingsd because you have become beloved to us.
9 You remember, Family, our trouble and hard labor; we announced God’s triumphant message to you while working night and day so as not to place a burden on any of you. 10 You and God are our witnesses that we presented ourselves to you who are faithful in a manner that was in harmony with divine character,e consistent with living justly, and without corrupted motives or behavior. 11 As you have seen, we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children, 12 encouragingf and comforting you, and providing testimony to you, which has resulted in you walking appropriately for God who calls you toward his own Reign and renown.
13 Because of this, we also give thanks to God constantly because after receiving the message you heard from us about God, you accepted it not as a message from people but, just as it truly is, a message from God, which also makes itself real in you who are faithful. 14 You became imitators, Family, of God’s Assemblies connected with Christ that are in Judea, since you suffered the same things from your own peopleg as they did from the Judeans, 15 from those who also killed the lord Jesus and the prophets and terrorized us. They are not striving to please God and are hostile to all people. 16 They hinder us from speaking with other ethnicities so they can be liberated, resulting in bringing their deviations to a full reality every time. Now, the anger that ends it has already reached them.
17 Now, Family, being deprivedh of you for a little while (as far as your presence, not heart), we strived increasingly diligently with our great desire to see you. 18 That’s why we wanted to come to you (I, Paul, truly wanted to come time and again), but the Adversary blocked us. 19 You see, who is our hope or joy or laurel crowni in which we take satisfaction in the presence of our lord Jesus at his arrival? Isn’t it you? 20 You are our renown and joy.
FOOTNOTES:
a Literally, ‘empty’
b Literally, ‘hearts.’ While ‘heart’ symbolizes emotion and caring in our culture, in this culture it symbolized desire and motivation.
c Most translations say ‘gentle’ here, but the word literally is ‘infants.’ Trying to determine what quality of an infant is in view is the next step and taking the context of the sentences before and after is essential.
d Or, ‘selves.’ Traditionally, this word is what has been translated as ‘souls.’ Some translations translate it here as ‘lives,’ but it is not about a ‘life time’ or ‘how we live’ so much as the fact of being alive, of being a living creature.
e Traditionally, ‘holily.’ The word is an adverb, hosios, and is used regarding the deeper quality of being right and good in the sense of alignment and harmony with divine character, with an intuitive sense of what is at peace with others and nature, good moral character not based on rules or sanctioned religious structures, but emanating from somewhere deeper in someone’s character. It is a different word than hagios, usually translated as holy (in adjective form) or ‘saints’ (in noun form) and carries a sense of being designated for a distinct purpose.
f ‘Calling to one’s side’ is a very literal meaning, and it implies a connection of drawing someone close to speak with them. The speaking may be to comfort them, encourage them, correct them, plead with them, or any number of variations of intimate communication.
g This word sumphuletes is often translated as ‘countrymen.’ It means those who are of the same people group.
h Literally, ‘made an orphan’ or ‘bereaved of a parent.’ It isn’t being used literally, but it is emphasizing the pain of loss at being separated from the audience.
i This is referring to a laurel crown earned as a prize in competitions.