1Thessalonians 2

2You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure.G1063G846G80G1492G2257G1529G4314G5209G3754G1096G3756G27562We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.G235G2532G4310G2532G5195G2531G1492G1722G5375G3955G1722G2257G2316G2980G4314G5209G2098G2316G1722G4183G733For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.G1063G2257G3874G3756G1537G4106G3761G1537G167G3777G1722G13884On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.G235G2531G1381G5259G2316G4100G2098G3779G2980G3756G5613G700G444G235G2316G1381G2257G25885You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed--God is our witness.G1063G3777G4218G1096G2850G1722G3056G2531G1492G3777G1722G4392G4124G2316G31446We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you,G3777G1537G444G2212G1391G3777G575G5216G3777G575G243G1410G1511G1722G922G5613G652G55477but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.G235G1096G2261G1722G3319G5216G5613G5162G302G2282G1438G50438We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.G3779G2442G5216G2106G3330G5213G3756G2098G2316G3440G235G2532G1438G5590G1360G1096G27G22549Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.G1063G3421G80G2257G2873G2532G3449G1063G2038G3571G2532G2250G4314G1912G3361G1912G5100G5216G2784G1519G5209G2098G231610You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.G5210G3144G2532G2316G5613G3743G2532G1346G2532G274G1096G5213G410011For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,G2509G1492G5613G3870G2532G3888G3140G1538G1520G5209G5216G5613G3962G1438G504312encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.G2532G1519G5209G4043G516G2316G2564G5209G1519G1438G932G2532G139113And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.G5124G1223G2532G2168G2249G2316G89G3754G3880G3056G2316G189G3844G2257G1209G3756G3056G444G235G2531G2076G230G3056G2316G3739G1754G2532G1722G5213G410014For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews,G1063G5210G80G1096G3402G1577G2316G3588G1722G2449G5607G1722G5547G2424G3754G5210G2532G3958G5024G5259G2398G4853G2532G2531G846G5259G245315who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all menG2532G615G2962G2424G2532G2398G4396G2532G1559G2248G2532G700G3361G2316G2532G1727G3956G44416in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.G2967G2248G2980G1484G2443G4982G1519G378G846G266G3842G1161G3709G5348G1909G846G1519G505617But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.G1161G2249G80G642G575G5216G4314G5610G2540G4383G3756G2588G4704G4056G1492G5216G4383G1722G4183G193918For we wanted to come to you--certainly I, Paul, did, again and again--but Satan stopped us.G1352G2309G2064G4314G5209G3303G1473G3972G2532G530G2532G1364G2532G4567G1465G224819For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?G1063G5101G2257G1680G2228G5479G2228G4735G2746G2228G3780G2532G5210G1715G2257G2962G2424G5547G1722G846G395220Indeed, you are our glory and joy.G1063G5210G2075G2257G1391G2532G5479