Paul’s Ministry 1 DBY For ye know yourselves, brethren, our entering in which we had to you, that it has not been in vain; BSB BSB: You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain.
2 DBY but, having suffered before and been insulted, even as ye know, in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the glad tidings of God with much earnest striving. BSB BSB: As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.
3 DBY For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile; BSB BSB: For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery.
4 DBY but even as we have been approved of God to have the glad tidings entrusted to us, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who proves our hearts. BSB BSB: Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts.
5 DBY For we have not at any time been among you with flattering discourse, even as ye know, nor with a pretext for covetousness, God is witness; BSB BSB: As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!
6 DBY nor seeking glory from men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have been a charge as Christ's apostles; BSB BSB: Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.
7 DBY but have been gentle in the midst of you, as a nurse would cherish her own children. BSB BSB: On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children.
8 DBY Thus, yearning over you, we had found our delight in having imparted to you not only the glad tidings of God, but our own lives also, because ye had become beloved of us. BSB BSB: We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.
9 DBY For ye remember, brethren, our labour and toil: working night and day, not to be chargeable to any one of you, we have preached to you the glad tidings of God. BSB BSB: Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
10 DBY Ye are witnesses, and God, how piously and righteously and blamelessly we have conducted ourselves with you that believe: BSB BSB: You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.
11 DBY as ye know how, as a father his own children, we used to exhort each one of you, and comfort and testify, BSB BSB: For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children—
12 DBY that ye should walk worthy of God, who calls you to his own kingdom and glory. BSB BSB: encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
13 DBY And for this cause we also give thanks to God unceasingly that, having received the word of the report of God by us, ye accepted, not men's word, but, even as it is truly, God's word, which also works in you who believe. BSB BSB: And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe.
14 DBY For ye, brethren, have become imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus; for ye also have suffered the same things of your own countrymen as also they of the Jews, BSB BSB: For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews,
15 DBY who have both slain the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and have driven us out by persecution, and do not please God, and are against all men, BSB BSB: who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,
16 DBY forbidding us to speak to the nations that they may be saved, that they may fill up their sins always: but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. BSB BSB: hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.
Paul’s Longing to Visit 17 DBY But we, brethren, having been bereaved of you and separated for a little moment in person, not in heart, have used more abundant diligence to see your face with much desire; BSB BSB: Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense.
18 DBY wherefore we have desired to come to you, even I Paul, both once and twice, and Satan has hindered us. BSB BSB: For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.
19 DBY For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting? are not ye also before our Lord Jesus at his coming? BSB BSB: After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
20 DBY for ye are our glory and joy. BSB BSB: You are indeed our glory and our joy.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.