2
(2:1 - 16)
1-2 Yes, you know about that time we came to you, we did not tell you God’s really good word in vain. Truly you believed it. Previously in Philippi some people looked at us with anger, they beat us and were keeping us in a bad way. You know about that. Then we left Philippi, we came to you in Thessalonica. At that time we told you God's word. Some people did not listen to us. They tried in vain to stop us speaking. We were not afraid of them, God made us firm to speak. 3 We were telling you that true word, we did not just lie to you so you would give us money or whatever thing. No. We always kept on doing the right thing. 4 God continually watches us, he knows whatever we are thinking about. He himself chose us to take this true word of his to you. Because of that God is the one we want to please, not people. 5 We did not praise you so that you in response might speak well about us. We were not greedy for money and whatever other things. 6a We did not ask you, or others either, to praise us. God knows about me that I am speaking the truth. 6b-7 We are the ones who told you that word about Jesus Christ. He himself sent us to you. Because of that we could have asked you (but did not) to look after us well, and to give us money. No! We did not want to do like that. We (emphatic) looked after you well. You know how a mother cares for her little child, in that sort of way we became for you. 8 We truly love you, we continually think about you. For that reason we did not just give you that good word from God. We also made you like our very own relatives. 9 Yes, while we were telling you the word from God, we were also working for money for food. We did not ask you for food. We did not eat your food. We worked hard in the day and in the night also to get our money. You know we used to do just like that. 10 At that time when we were living with you, we continually did things properly and without badness in order to please God. You know about that, God knows also, that's a really true word. 11-12 You know how a father persuades his child to do things the proper way, we became sort of like that for you. We continually told you, you should live in a proper way to please God. He himself chose you. Later he will take you to his truly good country. Because of that you should do everything properly in order to please him. 13 As soon as we told you that really good word you happily heard/obeyed it. You thought, “This is God's (emphatic) word, not just Paul's.” It really is God's word. You believed that word, from doing wrong you turned to a different way, now you are going in the right way. Because of that we continually say 'Thankyou!' to God. 14 As soon as you believed God's word your fellow countrymen became angry with you. You became like others, those believers in what's-its-name, in Judea, their own countrymen became angry with them, they tried in vain to prevent them following Jesus Christ. In the same sort of way your own countrymen tried in vain to prevent you following him. 15-16 Many Jewish people rejected God's word. Long ago from time to time some of them killed the messengers who brought them God's word. A long time after that some killed Jesus our Boss. Now in these days others banished us from your town. They always try in vain to stop us telling the true words about the Boss Jesus to you or to anyone else. They call themselves “Jews”, they call everyone else “Gentiles”. We (emphatic) want all those who-are-they, those Gentiles, to know about the Boss Jesus and to believe in him. God will save all the ones who do that. These Jews are opponents for everybody else. They don't want other Jews or Gentiles to hear the words about the Boss Jesus. They are evil-doers. Therefore God is angry with them. At last he will hit them very hard.
(2:17 - 3:13)
17-18 Yes, those Jews sent us right away from your town. After that we continually thought of you, truly we love you. We were wanting to return to you, we were lonely for you. I, Paul, several times tried to return to you, (but) Satan was blocking me. 19-20 Yes, we were wanting very much to return and see you. Previously when we told you about the Boss Jesus you believed in him, you left off doing badly, you became those characterised by good. Because of that you made us joyful/really happy. Later Jesus our Boss will return from the sky. Then we and you will be standing together in one group, we will be very close, he will see us together. We will know about you that we did not tell you God’s really good word in vain. Because of that we will be very happy.