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1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not useless.
2 Rather, as you know, though we previously suffered and were shamefully treated at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much struggling.
3 For our exhortation was not from error, nor from uncleanness, nor from deceit.
4 Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be trusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but God. He is the one who examines our hearts.
5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext to cover up greed—God is our witness.
6 Nor did we seek glory from people, either from you or from others. We could have claimed privileges as apostles of Christ.
7 Instead, we were as gentle among you as a mother comforting her own children. [[ Some important and ancient Greek copies read, " Instead, we were like babies among you, as when a mother comforts her own children " . ]]
8 In this way we had affection for you. We were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives. For you had become very dear to us.
9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil. Night and day we were working so that we might not be a burden to any of you as we preached to you the gospel of God.
10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy, righteous, and blameless was our behavior toward you who believe.
11 In the same way you know how we were with each one of you, as a father with his own children,
12 exhorting you and comforting you and solemnly charging you to walk in a manner that is worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
13 For this reason we also thank God constantly, that when you received God's message that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of man, but just as it truly is, the word of God, which is also at work in you who believe.
14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, as they did from the Jews
15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who drove us out. They do not please God. Instead, they are hostile to all people.
16 They forbid us to speak to the Gentiles for them to be saved. The result is that they always fill up their sins to the limit. But wrath will overtake them in the end.
17 But we, brothers, were separated from you for a short hour, in person not in heart. We were especially eager, with great desire, to see your faces.
18 For we wished to come to you—indeed I, Paul, once and again—but Satan stopped us.
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of pride in front of our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?
20 For you are our glory and joy.