International Standard Version | English Standard Version |
1For you yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a waste of time. | 1For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. |
2As you know, we suffered persecution and were mistreated in Philippi. Yet we were encouraged by our God to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. | 2But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. |
3For our appeal to you does not spring from deceit, impure motives, or trickery. | 3For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, |
4Rather, because we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, we speak as we do, not trying to please people but God, who tests our motives. | 4but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. |
5As you know, we did not come with flattering words or with a scheme to make money. God is our witness! | 5For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. |
6We did not seek praise from people—from you or from anyone else— | 6Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. |
7even though as apostles of the Messiah we might have made such demands. Instead, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother tenderly caring for her own children. | 7But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. |
8We cared so deeply for you that we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but our very lives. That is how dear you were to us. | 8So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. |
9Brothers, you remember our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not become a burden to any of you while we proclaimed the gospel of God to you. | 9For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. |
10You and God are witnesses of how pure, honest, and blameless our conduct was among you who believe. | 10You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. |
11You know very well that we treated each of you the way a father treats his children. | 11For you know how, like a father with his children, |
12We comforted and encouraged you, urging you to live in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. | 12we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. |
13Here is another reason why we constantly give thanks to God: When you received God's word, which you heard from us, you did not accept it as the word of humans but for what it really is—the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. | 13And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. |
14For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in union with the Messiah Jesus. You suffered the same persecutions from the people of your own country as they did from those Jews | 14For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, |
15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, who have persecuted us, and who please neither God nor any group of people, | 15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind |
16as they try to keep us from telling the gentiles how they can be saved. As a result, they are constantly adding to the number of sins they have committed. However, wrath has overtaken them at last! | 16by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last! |
17Brothers, although we have been separated from you for a little while—in person but not in heart—we eagerly desire to see you again face to face. | 17But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, |
18That is why we wanted to come to you. Certainly I, Paul, wanted to come time and again, but Satan blocked our way. | 18because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. |
19After all, who is our hope, joy, or reason for rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? It is you, isn't it? | 19For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? |
20Yes, you are our glory and joy! | 20For you are our glory and joy. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
|