1 F or yourselves have known, brethren, our entrance in unto you, that it did not become vain,

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

2 b ut having both suffered before, and having been injuriously treated (as ye have known) in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the good news of God in much conflict,

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 not out of deceit, nor out of uncleanness, nor in guile,

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 as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the good news, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who is proving 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 at no time did we come with speech of flattery, (as ye have known,) nor in a pretext for covetousness, (God witness!)

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

6 n or seeking of men glory, neither from you nor from others, being able to be burdensome, as Christ's apostles.

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 became gentle in your midst, as a nurse may cherish her own children,

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

8 s o being desirous of you, we are well-pleased to impart to you not only the good news of God, but also our own souls, because beloved ye have become 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 ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail, for, night and day working not to be a burden upon any of you, we did preach to you the good news 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 e witnesses -- God also -- how kindly and righteously, and blamelessly to you who believe we became,

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

11 e ven as ye have known, how each one of you, as a father his own children, we are exhorting you, and comforting, and testifying,

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 f or your walking worthily of God, who is calling you to His own reign 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 B ecause of this also, we -- we do give thanks to God continually, that, having received the word of hearing from us of God, ye accepted, not the word of man, but as it is truly, the word of God, who also doth 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 ye became imitators, brethren, of the assemblies of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because such things ye suffered, even ye, from your own countrymen, as also they 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 did both put to death the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and did persecute us, and God they are not pleasing, and to all men contrary,

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 f orbidding us to speak to the nations that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always, but the anger did come upon them -- to the end!

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 A nd we, brethren, having been taken from you for the space of an hour -- in presence, not in heart -- did hasten the more abundantly to see your face in much desire,

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 w herefore we wished to come unto you, (I indeed Paul,) both once and again, and the Adversary did hinder 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 what our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye before our Lord Jesus Christ in his presence?

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 ye are our glory and joy.

You are our pride and joy.