1 Thessalonians 2:9-3:13

English Standard Version

⁹ For you remember, brothers, ^(A)our labor and toil: we ^(B)worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰ You are witnesses, and ^(C)God also, ^(D)how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. ¹¹ For you know how, ^(E)like a father with his children, ¹² we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and ^(F)charged ^(G)you to walk in a manner worthy of God, ^(H)who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

¹³ And ^(I)we also thank God constantly^[a] for this, that when you received ^(J)the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it ^(K)not as the word of men^[b] but as what it really is, the word of God, ^(L)which is at work in you believers. ¹⁴ For you, brothers, ^(M)became imitators of ^(N)the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For ^(O)you suffered the same things from your own countrymen ^(P)as they did from the Jews,^{[c] 15 (Q)}who killed both the Lord Jesus and ^(R)the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and ^(S)oppose all mankind ^16 (T)by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always ^(U)to fill up the measure of their sins. But ^(V)wrath has come upon them at last!^[d]

Paul's Longing to See Them Again

¹⁷ But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, ^(W)in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire ^(X)to see you face to face, ¹⁸ because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan ^(Y)hindered us. ¹⁹ For what is our hope or ^(Z)joy or crown of boasting ^(AA)before our Lord Jesus at his ^(AB)coming? Is it not you? ²⁰ For you are our glory and joy.

3 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing ^(AC)to be left behind at Athens alone, ² and we ^(AD)sent Timothy, ^(AE)our brother and God's coworker^[e] in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, ³ that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that ^(AF)we are destined for this. ⁴ For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, ^(AG)just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. ⁵ For this reason, ^(AH)when I could bear it no longer, ^(AI)I sent to learn about your faith, ^(AJ)for fear that somehow ^(AK)the tempter had tempted you and ^(AL)our labor would be in vain.

Timothy's Encouraging Report

⁶ But ^(AM)now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of ^(AN)your faith and love and reported ^(AO)that you always remember us kindly and ^(AP)long to see us, as we long to see you— ⁷ for this reason, brothers,^[f] in all our distress and affliction ^(AQ)we have been comforted about you through your faith. ⁸ For now we live, if you ^(AR)are standing fast in the Lord. ⁹ For ^(AS)what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, ¹⁰ as we pray most earnestly ^(AT)night and day ^(AU)that we may see you face to face and ^(AV)supply what is lacking in your faith?

¹¹ Now may ^(AW)our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, ^(AX)direct our way to you, ¹² and may the Lord ^(AY)make you increase and abound in love ^(AZ)for one another and for all, as we do for you, ¹³ so that he may ^(BA)establish your hearts blameless in holiness before ^(BB)our God and Father, at ^(BC)the coming of our Lord Jesus ^(BD)with all his saints.