1 Thessalonians 2 | Understand Your Bible

Introduction

Despite the problems, Paul is encouraged by the believers in Thessalonica.

Verses

¹For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn’t in vain,

²but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.

³For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception.

⁴But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak: not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.

⁵For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),

⁶nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.

⁷But we were gentle amongst you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

⁸Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.

⁹For you remember, brothers, our labour and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.

¹⁰You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves towards you who believe.

¹¹As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children,

¹²to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.

¹³For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.

¹⁴For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews

¹⁵who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and don’t please God, and are contrary to all men,

¹⁶forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.

¹⁷But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,

¹⁸because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.

¹⁹For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

²⁰For you are our glory and our joy.

Questions

v 4 to 6 But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak: not as pleasing men, ... For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness ... nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others) ...

v 13 For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.

v 14 ... for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews

Summary Points

v 1 to 7 Despite having had problems in Philippi, Paul was keen to give the Thessalonians the Good News of God gently without any hidden motives
v 8 to 13 Because of his love for them, Paul worked so that he would not be a financial burden to them while preaching the Good News of God. Like a father talking to his children, Paul wanted them to understand that his message was from God and not men
v 14 to 18 Like many other believers, they suffered at the hand of their own countrymen. Paul wanted to come and see them, but opposition from what he calls ‘Satan’ prevented this
v 19 and 20 He reminds them of his hope that they will all meet in the presence of Jesus at his coming

Timeline AD 60

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