I Thessalonians
Chapter 2
Vs. 1, 2 Paul says Brothers and sisters in Christ, you know that our visit to you was not a failure.
Just before we came to you we were in Philippi. We were treated badly there and suffered.
We came to you and God gave us courage to speak the truth of the Gospel. There were many who were against us.
Vs.3
When we preached to you we spoke in truth and we were honest. We did not try to trick you or deceive you.
Vs/ 4 Paul says God gave us the responsibility to speak the gospel. We preached the truth. We were not trying to please men. We only wanted to pleased God who called us.
Vs. 5 We did not come using words saying a lot of nice things about you to make you feel good about yourselves. We did not come hoping you would give us money
or gifts. God knows our hearts.
Vs. 6 We did not come preaching hoping to make a name for ourselves and have others praise us. We did not come and make ourselves a burden that you had to pay us and feed us and take care of us.
Vs. 7 We were kind and gentle to you, just like a nurse with a child.
Vs. 8 We loved you. We gave you the gospel. We gave of ourselves to you.
Vs.9 While we preached to you, we worked to pay our own way. We worked day and night—–preaching to you and then working to supply our own needs so you did not have to give us anything.
Vs. 10 You saw how we lived among you. God saw how we lived among you. We were honest. We worked to take care of our own needs. We lived in a right and holy way.
Vs. 11 We preached to you. We encouraged you. We comforted you in your problems.
We were as a “father” to you.
Vs. 12 We did this so you would walk in a way that was worthy of God. He called you to follow Him.
Vs. 13 We were thankful that when we preached to you you listened and accepted our words as words from God. You believed them to be truth and you let that truth change your lives.
Vs. 14 You are believers in Christ just like those in Judea. You have suffered for your faith, just as they have suffered for their faith.
(The Jews in Judea that have not believed in Christ have been against those Jews who have believed in Christ.)
Vs. 15 Those Jews were the ones who wanted Jesus to be killed. Those Jews are the ones who have given us so much trouble.
Those Jews have the same thoughts and attitude as the Hebrews/Jews who killed the prophets of long ago.
They think they are so holy and righteous, but they do not please God.
Vs. 16 Those Jews tell us that we should not be preaching to the Gentiles——so that the Gentiles can have forgiveness of sin and be saved.
This attitude of theirs and their actions just add to their sins. God’s anger will come on them for this.
Vs. 17 Now, brothers, we have been away from you for a time. But we have always been thinking about you. We have been wanting to come back to see you.
Vs. 18 We would have come before now. We have tried to come, but Satan put problems in our way so that we could not come.
Vs. 19, 20 Your believing in Christ brings us much joy. We are happy that you are in Christ’s presence and will be when Christ returns.