1 For you yourselves know, brothers, 1 that our f coming to you g was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated h at Philippi, as you know, i we had boldness in our God j to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much k conflict. 3 For l our appeal does not spring from m error or n impurity or o any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God p to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not q to please man, but to please God r who tests our hearts. 5 s For we never came with words of flattery, 2 as you know, nor with a pretext for greed - t God is witness. 6 u Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, v though we could have made w demands as x apostles of Christ. 7 But we were y gentle 3 among you, z like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God a but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
9 For you remember, brothers, b our labor and toil: we c worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and d God also, e how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, f like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and g charged h you to walk in a manner worthy of God, i who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
13 And j we also thank God constantly 4 for this, that when you received k the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it l not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, m which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, n became imitators of o the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For p you suffered the same things from your own countrymen q as they did from the Jews, 15 r who killed both the Lord Jesus and s the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and t oppose all mankind 16 u by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved - so as always v to fill up the measure of their sins. But w God's wrath has come upon them at last! 5
17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, x in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire y to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you - I, Paul, again and again - but Satan z hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or a joy or crown of boasting b before our Lord Jesus at his c coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.