保羅在帖撒羅尼迦的工作
1弟兄姊妹，你們自己知道，我們那次探望你們並沒有白費。 2你們也知道，我們之前在腓立比遭受了迫害和凌辱，遇到強烈的反對，但仍然靠著我們的上帝放膽向你們傳揚祂的福音。 3我們的勸勉並非出於謬誤、不良動機或詭詐。 4我們得到了上帝的認可，受委派傳福音。我們不是要取悅人，而是要取悅鑒察我們內心的上帝。
5你們知道，我們沒有花言巧語奉承人，也沒有心存貪念，上帝可以為我們作證。 6我們不求得到你們或其他任何人的讚揚。 7身為基督的使徒，我們理當受到你們的尊重，然而我們像母親撫育嬰兒一樣溫柔地對待你們。 8我們深愛你們，對你們有深厚的感情，不僅樂意把上帝的福音傳給你們，甚至把生命給你們也在所不惜。
9弟兄姊妹，你們一定記得我們的勞苦和艱難。我們一面向你們傳福音，一面晝夜辛勤工作，免得成為你們任何人的負擔。 10我們怎樣以聖潔、公義、純全的方式對待你們眾信徒，你們自己可以作證，上帝也可以作證。 11你們也知道，我們對待你們就像父親對待自己的孩子一樣。 12我們安慰你們，勸勉你們，督促你們，好叫你們行事為人對得起上帝，祂呼召你們進入祂的國、享受祂的榮耀。
13我們不住地感謝上帝，因為你們從我們這裡聽了上帝的道後就接受了，確信這不是人的道理，而是上帝的道。這道正在你們信的人心裡發揮作用。
14弟兄姊妹，你們的遭遇和猶太地區基督耶穌的眾教會的遭遇一樣。你們受到了自己同胞的迫害，他們也受到了猶太人的迫害。 15這些猶太人殺死了主耶穌和眾先知，又迫害我們。他們不但冒犯上帝，還與所有的人為敵， 16阻止我們傳福音給外族人，唯恐他們得救。這些人惡貫滿盈，上帝的烈怒終於臨到了他們頭上。
保羅渴望去帖撒羅尼迦
17弟兄姊妹，我們暫時與你們分離，心靈卻與你們在一起。我們非常渴望見到你們。 18我們想去你們那裡，我保羅也一次又一次地想去，只是遭到撒旦的攔阻。 19我們主耶穌再來的時候，我們在祂面前的盼望、喜樂和可誇耀的冠冕是什麼呢？不就是你們嗎？ 20因為你們是我們的榮耀和喜樂。
Paul’s Work for God in Thessalonica
1Brothers and sisters, you know that our visit to you produced results. 2You know what happened earlier in the city of Philippi. We suffered, and people treated us very badly there. But God gave us the boldness to tell you his good news. We preached to you even when people strongly opposed us. 3The appeal we make is based on truth. It comes from a pure heart. We are not trying to trick you. 4In fact, it is just the opposite. God has approved us to preach. He has trusted us with the good news. We aren’t trying to please people. We want to please God. He tests our hearts. 5As you know, we never praised you if we didn’t mean it. We didn’t put on a mask to cover up any sinful desire. God is our witness that this is true. 6We were not expecting people to praise us. We were not looking for praise from you or anyone else. Yet as Christ’s apostles, we could have used our authority over you. 7Instead, we were like young children when we were with you.
As a mother feeds and cares for her little children, 8we cared for you. We loved you so much. So we were happy to share with you God’s good news. We were also happy to share our lives with you. 9Brothers and sisters, I am sure you remember how hard we worked. We labored night and day while we preached to you God’s good news. We didn’t want to cause you any expense. 10You are witnesses of how we lived among you believers. God is also a witness that we were holy and godly and without blame. 11You know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. 12We gave you hope and strength. We comforted you. We really wanted you to live in a way that is worthy of God. He chooses you to enter his glorious kingdom.
13We never stop thanking God for the way you received his word. You heard it from us. But you didn’t accept it as a human word. You accepted it for what it really is. It is God’s word. It is really at work in you who believe. 14Brothers and sisters, you became like the members of God’s churches in Judea. They are believers in Christ Jesus, just as you are. Your own people made you suffer. You went through the same things the church members in Judea suffered from the Jews. 15The Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets also forced us to leave. They do not please God. They are enemies of everyone. 16They try to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles. These Jews don’t want the Gentiles to be saved. In this way, these Jews always increase their sins to the limit. God’s anger has come on them at last.
Paul Wants to See the Believers in Thessalonica
17Brothers and sisters, we were separated from you for a short time. Apart from you, we were like children without parents. We were no longer with you in person. But we kept you in our thoughts. We really wanted to see you. So we tried very hard to do so. 18We wanted to come to you. Again and again I, Paul, wanted to come. But Satan blocked our way. 19What is our hope? What is our joy? When our Lord Jesus returns, what is the crown we will delight in? Isn’t it you? 20Yes, you are our glory and our joy.
