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

Christian brothers, you know that my visit with you was not wasted.

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.

Just before we came to you, we had been in the city of Philippi. You know how they worked against us and made us suffer. But God helped us preach the Good News to you without fear, even while many people hated us and made it hard for us.

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

You remember what we said to you was true. We had no wrong desire in teaching you. We did not try to fool you.

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.

God has allowed us to be trusted with the Good News. Because of this, we preach it to please God, not man. God tests and proves our hearts.

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

You know we never used smooth-sounding words. God knows we never tried to get money from you by preaching.

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.

We never looked for thanks from men, not from you or from anyone else. But because we were missionaries of Christ, we could have asked you to do much for us.

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

Instead, we were gentle when we came to you. We were like a mother caring for her 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.

We had such a strong desire to help you that we were happy to give you the Good News. Because we loved you so much, we were ready to give you our own lives also.

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.

You remember, Christian brothers, we worked night and day for our food and clothes while we preached the Good News to you. We did not want to make it hard for you.

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

You know, and so does God, how pure and right and without blame we were among you who believe.

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,

As a father helps his children, you know how we wanted to help you and give you comfort. We told you with strong words

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

that you should live to please God. He is the One Who chose you to come into His holy nation and to share His shining-greatness.

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.

We always thank God that when you heard the Word of God from us, you believed it. You did not receive it as from men, but you received it as the Word of God. That is what it is. It is at work in the lives of you who believe.

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,

Christian brothers, you became just like the churches in the country of Judea. You had to suffer from the men in your country as those churches had to suffer from 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,

It was the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the early preachers. The Jews made it hard for us and made us leave. They do not please God and are working against 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.

They tried to keep us from preaching the Good News to the people who are not Jews. The Jews do not want them saved from the punishment of sin. The lives of the Jews are full of more sin all the time. But now God’s anger has come to 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.

Christian brothers, because we have not been able to be with you, our hearts have been with you. We have wanted very much to see you.

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

We wanted to come to you. I, Paul, have tried to come to you more than once but Satan kept us from coming.

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?

Who is our hope or joy or crown of happiness? It is you, when you stand before our Lord Jesus Christ when He comes again.

20 F or you are our glory and joy.

You are our pride and joy.