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.
Paulo Adwumayɛ Wɔ Tesalonika
1Anuanom, mo ankasa munim sɛ sra a yɛbɛsraa mo no anyɛ ɔkwa. 2Munim ayayade a wɔyɛɛ yɛn ne ɔyaw a wɔyaw yɛn wɔ Filipi ansa na yɛreba mo nkyɛn wɔ Tesalonika no. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ na nnipa bi tia yɛn de, nanso yɛn Nyankopɔn hyɛɛ yɛn den ma yɛkaa Asɛmpa a efi ne mu no. 3Asɛmpa a yɛka kyerɛɛ mo no mfi adwemmɔne anaa nnaadaa mu, na mmom, nea yɛkae no yɛ nokware turodoo. 4Daa yɛka nokware, sɛnea Onyankopɔn hwehwɛ yɛn sɛ yɛnka no, efisɛ ɔpene so na ɔde Asɛmpa no nso ama yɛn sɛ yɛnka. Yɛmpɛ sɛ yɛsɔ nnipa ani, na mmom Onyankopɔn a ɔsɔ yɛn adwene hwɛ no ani na yɛpɛ sɛ yɛsɔ. 5Munim pefee sɛ yɛamma ha sɛ yɛrebɛka nnaadaasɛm akyerɛ mo anaasɛ yɛde sikanibere rebɛkata yɛn ani akasa. Onyankopɔn ne yɛn danseni. 6Sɛ moyɛ Kristo asomafo no nti, anka yɛwɔ ho kwan sɛ yɛpɛ anuonyam fi mo nkyɛn, nanso yemmisaa anuonyam mfii mo anaasɛ onipa foforo bi nkyɛn ɛ. 7Yɛwɔ mo nkyɛn no, na yɛne mo te odwo so, sɛnea ɔbeatan kokɔ ne mma. 8Yɛhwɛɛ mo yiye, nyaa mo ho anigye sononko; mpo yɛdaa yɛn ho so sɛ yɛde yɛn nkwa bɛto hɔ ama mo, bere a yɛde Onyankopɔn Asɛmpa no brɛɛ mo no. 9Anuanom, minim sɛ mokae adwuma a yɛyɛɛ ne brɛ a yɛbrɛe. Yɛyɛɛ adwuma awia ne anadwo; sɛnea Onyankopɔn Asɛmpa no ka na yɛka kyerɛɛ mo no, yɛremfa ɔhaw bi mmɛto mo so. 10Mo ne Onyankopɔn yɛ yɛn nnansefo. Yɛn suban a yɛdaa no adi kyerɛɛ mo a mugyee Asɛmpa no dii no yɛ kronkron a eye na mfomso biara nni ho. 11Mo ara munim sɛ yɛne mo tenaa sɛnea agya ne nʼankasa mma tena. 12Yɛhyɛɛ mo nkuran; yɛkyekyee mo werɛ na yɛkɔɔ so tuu mo fo sɛ montena ase wɔ ɔkwan a ɛsɔ Onyankopɔn a ɔfrɛ mo wɔ nʼahenni ne nʼanuonyam mu no so.
13Daa yɛbɛda Onyankopɔn ase wɔ saa asɛm yi ho. Bere a yɛkaa Onyankopɔn asɛm kyerɛɛ mo no, mutie gye dii sɛ ɛnyɛ asɛm a efi onipa nkyɛn, na mmom ampa ara sɛ efi Onyankopɔn nkyɛn. Mo a moagye adi no Onyankopɔn yɛ adwuma wɔ mo mu. 14Anuanom, nsɛm a ɛtotoo Onyankopɔn asafo a na ɛwowɔ Yudea ne nnipa a wɔwɔ hɔ a na wɔyɛ Kristo Yesu nkurɔfo no bi ara na ato mo yi. Ɔtaa a mo ara mo manfo taa mo no bi na Yudafo a 15wokum Awurade Yesu ne adiyifo no de taa yɛn nso. Onyankopɔn ani nsɔ wɔn, na wɔne nnipa di asi bere biara. 16Wɔbɔ mmɔden sɛ wobesiw yɛn kwan, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a yɛrentumi nkɔka asɛm a ɛbɛma amanamanmufo no nkwagye nkyerɛ wɔn. Eyi maa wɔn bɔne kɔɔ so daa. Na Onyankopɔn abufuw wɔ wɔn so.
Paulo Pɛ Sɛ Ɔkɔsra Wɔn Bio
17Anuanom, yɛantumi amma mo nkyɛn wɔ bere tiaa bi mu, nanso bere biara na yɛdwene mo ho. Yɛpɛɛ sɛ yehu mo, na yɛbɔɔ mmɔden biara sɛ yebehyia mo ankasa. 18Yɛpɛɛ sɛ yɛbɛsan aba mo nkyɛn. Me Paulo de, na mepɛ sɛ meba hɔ boro pɛnkoro nanso ɔbonsam siw yɛn ho kwan. 19Nanso dɛn ne yɛn anidaso, anigye, anaa ahenkyɛw a ɛbɛma yɛn anuonyam wɔ Awurade Yesu anim bere a ɔbɛsan aba no? Ɛnyɛ mo ana? 20Nokware ni, yɛn ahohoahoa ne yɛn ahosɛpɛw gyina mo so.
