1 F or you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain,

For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming among you was not useless and fruitless.

2 b ut after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.

But though we had already suffered and been outrageously treated at Philippi, as you know, yet in our God we summoned courage to proclaim to you unfalteringly the good news (the Gospel) with earnest contention and much conflict and great opposition.

3 F or our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit;

For our appeal does not from delusion or error or impure purpose or motive, nor in fraud or deceit.

4 b ut just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.

But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the glad tidings (the Gospel), so we speak not to please men but to please God, Who tests our hearts '> expecting them to be approved].

5 F or we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed— God is witness—

For as you well know, we never resorted either to words of flattery or to any cloak to conceal greedy motives or pretexts for gain, God is our witness.

6 n or did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.

Nor did we seek to extract praise and honor and glory from men, either from you or from anyone else, though we might have asserted our authority as apostles (special missionaries) of Christ (the Messiah).

7 B ut we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.

But we behaved gently when we were among you, like a devoted mother nursing and cherishing her own children.

8 H aving so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.

So, being thus tenderly and affectionately desirous of you, we continued to share with you not only God’s good news (the Gospel) but also our own lives as well, for you had become so very dear to us.

9 F or you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

For you recall our hard toil and struggles, brethren. We worked night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you while we proclaimed the glad tidings (the Gospel) of God to you.

10 Y ou are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers;

You are witnesses, and God, how unworldly and upright and blameless was our behavior toward you believers.

11 j ust as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children,

For you know how, as a father his children, we used to exhort each of you personally, stimulating and encouraging and charging you

12 s o that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

To live lives worthy of God, Who calls you into His own kingdom and the glorious blessedness '> into which true believers will enter after Christ’s return].

13 F or this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

And we also thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe '> exercising its superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it].

14 F or you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,

For you, brethren, became imitators of the assemblies (churches) of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judea, for you too have suffered the same kind of treatment from your own fellow countrymen as they did of the Jews,

15 w ho both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men,

Who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and harassed and drove us out, and continue to make themselves hateful and offensive to God and to show themselves foes of all men,

16 h indering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.

Forbidding and hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles (the nations) that they may be saved. So as always they fill up their sins. But God’s wrath has come upon them at last!

17 B ut we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while— in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face.

But since we were bereft of you, brethren, for a little while in person, not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great longing to see you face to face,

18 F or we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us.

Because it was our will to come to you. I, Paul, again and again, but Satan hindered and impeded us.

19 F or who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

For what is our hope or happiness or our victor’s wreath of exultant triumph when we stand in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you?

20 F or you are our glory and joy.

For you are our glory and our joy!