Paul’s Ministry 1 UDB My fellow believers, you know that our time with you was very worthwhile. BSB BSB: You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain.
2 UDB Although people in the city of Philippi previously mistreated us and insulted us, as you know, God caused us to be courageous. As a result, we told you the good news that God sent us to tell you, even though some people in your city opposed us very much. 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 UDB When we encouraged you to obey God's message, we did not speak to you something false. And we do not want to get something for ourselves by immoral means. We do not try to deceive you or anyone else. BSB BSB: For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery.
4 UDB On the contrary, God trusted us to tell you the good news because he had examined us and considered us to be the right people to do this work. As we teach people, we do not say what they like to hear. Instead, we say what God wants us to say because he judges everything that we think. 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 UDB You know that we never praised you in order to get anything from you. And we never said anything to you to convince you to give us things. God knows that this is true! BSB BSB: As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!
6 UDB We never tried to get you or anyone else to honor us, although we could have demanded that you give us the things we needed to live while we were with you because Christ had sent us to you. 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 UDB On the contrary, we were gentle when we were among you, as a mother gently takes care of her own children. BSB BSB: On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children.
8 UDB So, because we love you, we were delighted to personally tell you the good message that God gave us. But also we were delighted to do all that we could do to help you because we began to love you very much. 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 UDB My fellow believers, you remember that we worked hard during the day and also at night. This is how we earned money so that we would not have to ask any one of you to give us what we needed. We did this while we proclaimed to you the good news about 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 UDB Both you and God know that we lived toward you believers in a very good and right way—in a way that no one could criticize. BSB BSB: You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.
11 UDB You know also that we behaved toward each one of you as a father who loves his children behaves toward them. BSB BSB: For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children—
12 UDB We kept strongly exhorting and encouraging you to live like God's people should because he has called you to become his people to whom he will show himself as king with the most wonderful power. 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 UDB This is why we always thank God, because when you heard the message that we told to you, you accepted it as the true message, the good message that God gave to us. We ourselves did not invent it. We also thank God that he is changing your lives because you trust this message. 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 UDB We are certain about these things because you acted just like the groups of believers in Judea acted. They also are joined to Christ Jesus, and, just as they endured it when their fellow countrymen mistreated them because of Christ, in the same way you have endured it when your own fellow countrymen mistreat you. 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 UDB Those Jews had killed the Lord Jesus and also many prophets. Other unbelieving Jews forced us to leave many towns. They really make God angry, and they work against what is best for all human beings! 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 UDB For example, they try to stop us from telling the good news to Gentiles; they do not want God to save them! They have sinned almost as much as God will allow them to before he punishes them at last! 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 UDB My fellow believers, when we had to be away from you for a short time, we felt like parents who had lost their children. We strongly desired to be present with you. 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 UDB Indeed I, Paul, tried to return several times to see you. But each time Satan prevented us from returning. BSB BSB: For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.
19 UDB Indeed, it is because of you that we hope to do God's work well; it is you who make us proud; it is because of you that we hope to succeed in serving God. It is because of you as well as others that we hope that the Lord Jesus will reward us when he returns to earth. 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 UDB Indeed, it is because of you that even now we are pleased and are joyful! BSB BSB: You are indeed our glory and our joy.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.