Ministerio de Pablo en Tesalónica
1Hermanos, bien saben que nuestra visita a ustedes no fue un fracaso. 2Y saben también que, a pesar de las aflicciones e insultos que antes sufrimos en Filipos, cobramos confianza en nuestro Dios y nos atrevimos a comunicarles el evangelio en medio de una gran lucha. 3Nuestra exhortación no se origina en el error ni en malas intenciones; tampoco procura engañar a nadie. 4Al contrario, hablamos como hombres a quienes Dios aprobó y les confió el evangelio: no tratamos de agradar a la gente, sino a Dios que examina nuestro corazón.2:4 corazón. En la Biblia se usa para designar el asiento de las emociones, pensamientos y voluntad, es decir, el proceso de toma de decisiones del ser humano. 5Como saben, nunca hemos recurrido a las adulaciones ni a las excusas para obtener dinero; Dios es testigo. 6Tampoco hemos buscado honores de nadie, ni de ustedes ni de otros. 7Aunque como apóstoles de Cristo hubiéramos podido ser exigentes con ustedes, los tratamos con delicadeza.2:7 exigentes … delicadeza. Var. exigentes, fuimos niños entre ustedes. Como una madre2:7 madre. Alt. nodriza. que amamanta y cuida a sus hijos, 8así nosotros, por el cariño que les tenemos, nos deleitamos en compartir con ustedes no solo el evangelio de Dios, sino también nuestra vida. ¡Tanto llegamos a quererlos! 9Recordarán, hermanos, nuestros esfuerzos y fatigas para proclamarles el evangelio de Dios y cómo trabajamos día y noche para no serles una carga.
10Ustedes son testigos, y también Dios, de que nos comportamos con ustedes los creyentes en una forma santa, justa e irreprochable. 11Saben también que, a cada uno de ustedes, lo hemos tratado como trata un padre a sus propios hijos. 12Los hemos animado, consolado y exhortado a llevar una vida digna de Dios, que los llama a su reino y a su gloria.
13Así que no dejamos de dar gracias a Dios, porque al oír ustedes la palabra de Dios que predicamos, la aceptaron no como palabra humana, sino como lo que realmente es, palabra de Dios, la cual actúa en ustedes los creyentes. 14Ustedes, hermanos, siguieron el ejemplo de las iglesias de Dios en Cristo Jesús que están en Judea, ya que sufrieron a manos de sus compatriotas lo mismo que sufrieron aquellas iglesias a manos de los judíos. 15Estos mataron al Señor Jesús y a los profetas, y a nosotros nos expulsaron. No agradan a Dios y son hostiles a todos, 16pues procuran impedir que prediquemos a los no judíos para que sean salvos. Así en todo lo que hacen llegan al colmo de su pecado. Pero el castigo de Dios vendrá sobre ellos con toda severidad.2:16 Pero … severidad. Lit. Pero la ira vino sobre ellos hasta el fin.
Pablo anhela ver a los tesalonicenses
17Nosotros, hermanos, luego de estar separados de ustedes por algún tiempo en lo físico, pero no en lo espiritual, con ferviente anhelo hicimos todo lo humanamente posible por ir a verlos. 18Sí, deseábamos visitarlos —yo mismo, Pablo, más de una vez intenté ir—, pero Satanás nos lo impidió. 19En resumidas cuentas, ¿cuál es nuestra esperanza, alegría o corona delante de nuestro Señor Jesús para cuando él venga? ¿Quién más sino ustedes? 20Sí, ustedes son nuestro orgullo y alegría.
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.
