Paul
Paul Remembers His Time in Thessalonica
Paul reminds the church in Thessalonica how he and his companions preached the gospel boldly despite suffering in Philippi. He emphasizes that they did not preach with flattery or for personal gain, but were gentle like a nurse and encouraging like a father, working night and day so as not to be a burden.
1 Thessalonians 2,1-12
1You yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.
Αὐτοὶ γὰρ οἴδατε, ἀδελφοί, τὴν εἴσοδον ἡμῶν τὴν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὅτι οὐ κενὴ γέγονεν,
2On the contrary, though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated in Philippi, as you know, we found courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of great struggle.
ἀλλὰ προπαθόντες καὶ ὑβρισθέντες καθὼς οἴδατε ἐν Φιλίπποις ἐπαρρησιασάμεθα ἐν τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν λαλῆσαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν πολλῷ ἀγῶνι.
3For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity, nor is it made with deceit.
ἡ γὰρ παράκλησις ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐκ πλάνης οὐδὲ ἐξ ἀκαθαρσίας ⸀οὐδὲ ἐν δόλῳ,
4Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak—not to please people, but God, who tests our hearts.
ἀλλὰ καθὼς δεδοκιμάσμεθα ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ πιστευθῆναι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον οὕτως λαλοῦμεν, οὐχ ὡς ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκοντες ἀλλὰ ⸀θεῷ τῷ δοκιμάζοντι τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν.
5We never came with flattering words, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness—
οὔτε γάρ ποτε ἐν λόγῳ κολακείας ἐγενήθημεν, καθὼς οἴδατε, οὔτε ⸀ἐν προφάσει πλεονεξίας, θεὸς μάρτυς,
6nor did we seek glory from people, either from you or from anyone else,
οὔτε ζητοῦντες ἐξ ἀνθρώπων δόξαν, οὔτε ἀφʼ ὑμῶν οὔτε ἀπʼ ἄλλων,
7though as apostles of Christ we could have insisted on our own importance. Instead, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her own children.[^1]
[^1]: The phrase rendered "insisted on our own importance" can also mean "been a burden to you," that is, made financial demands.
δυνάμενοι ἐν βάρει εἶναι ὡς Χριστοῦ ἀπόστολοι· ἀλλὰ ἐγενήθημεν ⸀ἤπιοι ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν, ὡς ⸀ἐὰν τροφὸς θάλπῃ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα·
8So deep was our affection for you that we were glad to share with you not only the gospel of God but our own lives as well, because you had become dear to us.
οὕτως ὁμειρόμενοι ὑμῶν εὐδοκοῦμεν μεταδοῦναι ὑμῖν οὐ μόνον τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχάς, διότι ἀγαπητοὶ ἡμῖν ⸀ἐγενήθητε.
9You remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
Μνημονεύετε γάρ, ἀδελφοί, τὸν κόπον ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν μόχθον· ⸀νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας ἐργαζόμενοι πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιβαρῆσαί τινα ὑμῶν ἐκηρύξαμεν εἰς ὑμᾶς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ.
10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devoutly, uprightly, and blamelessly we conducted ourselves toward you believers.
ὑμεῖς μάρτυρες καὶ ὁ θεός, ὡς ὁσίως καὶ δικαίως καὶ ἀμέμπτως ὑμῖν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐγενήθημεν,
11For you know how we dealt with each one of you as a father deals with his own children,
καθάπερ οἴδατε ὡς ἕνα ἕκαστον ὑμῶν ὡς πατὴρ τέκνα ἑαυτοῦ
12encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
παρακαλοῦντες ὑμᾶς καὶ παραμυθούμενοι καὶ μαρτυρόμενοι, εἰς τὸ ⸀περιπατεῖν ὑμᾶς ἀξίως τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ καλοῦντος ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βασιλείαν καὶ δόξαν.