1For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you was not 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 people, but God, who tests our hearts. 5For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed (God is witness), 6nor seeking glory from people (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ. 7But we were like little children among 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 labor 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 toward you who believe. 11As you know, as a father with his own children, 12we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you to lead a life worthy 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 a human word, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe. 14For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches 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 Judeans; 15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and did not please God, and are hostile to all people; 16forbidding us to speak to those who are not Jewish 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? Is it not even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming? 20For you are our glory and our joy.