CVG 1 Thessalonians Chapter 2

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1. For you yourselves know, brothers, our entrance to you because it came about not in vain,

2. but suffering beforehand and being harshly treated, just as you know, in Philippi, we were able to speak boldly in our God, [that is] to speak to you the Gospel of God with much struggling.

3. For our exhortation was not with error nor with uncleanness nor with guile.

4. But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, thus we speak, not as pleasing men, but God Who tests our hearts.

5. For neither at that time did we become [those] with flattering speech just as you know neither with a pretense of excessive greed, as God is witness.

6. Neither seeking the glory from men, nor from you, neither from anyone else.

7. As we were able in seriousness [NOTE: this word at its core means weight or burden, but is used figuratively in Plutarch to mean dignity in character or gravity.] to be as the Apostles of Christ, but [instead] we became like little children among you, just as a mother nourishes her own children.
[NOTE: there is a variant reading which is 'gentle.' Both of these words differ in one letter: nhpioi (nei' pee oi) and hpioi (ei' pee oi). The extra nu either makes it mean 'like children' or without the nu 'gentle.' The previous Greek word ends in a nu, so it is conceivable scribes would accidentally transcribe 'nhpioi,' as you will remember older Greek manuscripts had no spaces between words. They would see ??????????????? which contains both the word 'gentle' and 'children.' An ambiguous comparison in English would be something like the following: 'fortwomen.' Is this 'fort women' or 'for two men.' Thankfully both words carry the same meaning, that is, they became kind and gentle.]

8. So that we longed for you, we were well-pleased to share with you not only the Gospel of God, but also our own lives, so that you became beloved to us.

9. For you remember brothers, our labor and our toil. Night and day working so as to not be a burden to anyone of you, we preached to you the Gospel of God.

10. You are witnesses, and also God as piously and righteously and blamelessly we became to you who believe.

11. Just as you know, with each one of you [we became] like a father with his own children.

12. Encouraging you and consoling you and witnessing for you to walk in a worthy manner of God Who calls you to His own kingdom and glory.
[NOTE: A variant reading says 'the God Who called you' and another variant reads 'the God Who encourages/exhorts you.']

13. And for this reason also we are thankful to God without interruption because receiving from us the word of God of our report, you welcomed [it] not as the word of men, but just as it is truly, the word of God, which also works effectually among you who believe.

14. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you suffered the same things and by your own countrymen just as also they [suffered] by the Jews.

15. By those who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and are persecuting us and those not pleasing God and are against all men.

16. Those hindering us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved to the result of filling up of their sins always. But the wrath arrived beforehand on them to the end [NOTE: The language is strange here. It is hard to discern exactly what Paul is saying here. While judgment is clearly outlined here, the aspect of that judgment in this verse is dubious. The reaching or coming is in the Aorist test which means it happened in the past, it is on them and to the end sounds as though we are talking about end time. If we look at all the times orgh 'anger' is used (excluding lists which Christians should not emulate) we see it is at times, by Paul, about eschatological anger: 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:6. I believe this means that the wrath endures all the way to the end (assuming they do not repent).].

17. But you brothers, being orphans from us for a season of time, [separated by] face not in heart, we made haste abundantly to see your face with much desire [NOTE: An example where the word normally translated lust is used in a good way.].

18. So that we desired to come to you, I Paul, once and twice, and Satan cut in on us.

19. For who of you is our hope or our joy or the crown of our boasting--or is it not even you--before our Lord Jesus in his appearing.

20. For you are our glory and our joy.