For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, about our coming to you– it has not proven to be purposeless. But although we suffered earlier and were mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of much opposition. For the appeal we make does not come from error or impurity or with deceit, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts. For we never appeared with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed– God is our witness– nor to seek glory from people, either from you or from others, although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead we became little children among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children, with such affection for you we were happy to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. For you recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery: By working night and day so as not to impose a burden on any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, as to how holy and righteous and blameless our conduct was toward you who believe. As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children, exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you live in a way worthy of God who calls you to his own kingdom and his glory. And so we too constantly thank God that when you received God’s message that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human message, but as it truly is, God’s message, which is at work among you who believe. For you became imitators, brothers and sisters, of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you too suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they in fact did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us severely. They are displeasing to God and are opposed to all people, because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they constantly fill up their measure of sins, but wrath has come upon them completely. But when we were separated from you, brothers and sisters, for a short time (in presence, not in affection) we became all the more fervent in our great desire to see you in person. For we wanted to come to you (I, Paul, in fact tried again and again) but Satan thwarted us. For who is our hope or joy or crown to boast of before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not of course you? For you are our glory and joy!
弟兄们，你们自己原晓得我们进到你们那里，并不是徒然的。 我们从前在腓立比被害受辱，这是你们知道的。然而还是靠我们的神放开胆量，在大争战中把神的福音传给你们。 我们的劝勉，不是出于错误，不是出于污秽，也不是用诡诈。 但神既然验中了我们，把福音托付我们，我们就照样讲，不是要讨人喜欢，乃是要讨那察验我们心的神喜欢。 因为我们从来没有用过谄媚的话，这是你们知道的。也没有藏着贪心，这是神可以作见证的。 我们作基督的使徒，虽然可以叫人尊重，却没有向你们或向别人求荣耀，只在你们中间存心温柔，如同母亲乳养自己的孩子。我们既是这样爱你们，不但愿意将神的福音给你们，连自己的性命也愿意给你们，因你们是我们所疼爱的。弟兄們、你們記念我們的辛苦勞碌、晝夜作工、傳 神的福音給你們、免得叫你們一人受累。我們向你們信主的人、是何等聖潔、公義、無可指摘、有你們作見證、也有 神作見證。你們也曉得我們怎樣勸勉你們、安慰你們、囑咐你們各人、好像父親待自己的兒女一樣． 要叫你們行事對得起那召你們進他國得他榮耀的 神。 為此、我們也不住的感謝 神、因你們聽見我們所傳 神的道、就領受了、不以為是人的道、乃以為是 神的道．這道實在是 神的、並且運行在你們信主的人心中。 弟兄們、你們曾效法猶太中、在基督耶穌裡 神的各教會．因為你們也受了本地人的苦害、像他們受了猶太人的苦害一樣。 這猶太人殺了主耶穌和先知、又把我們趕出去．他們不得 神的喜悅、且與眾人為敵．不許我們傳道給外邦人使外邦人得救、常常充滿自己的罪惡． 神的忿怒臨在他們身上已經到了極處。弟兄們、我們暫時與你們離別、是面目離別、心裡卻不離別、我們極力的想法子、很願意見你們的面． 所以我們有意到你們那裡、我保羅有一兩次要去、只是撒但阻擋了我們。 我們的盼望和喜樂、並所誇的冠冕、是甚麼呢．豈不是我們主耶穌來的時候你們在他面前站立得住麼。 因為你們就是我們的榮耀、我們的喜樂。
1 Thessalonians帖 撒 羅 尼 迦 前 書2:1-20 NET
2019 3 10 Prepare…(VI)