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I Thessalonians 2

1 For you yourselves know, brothers, our entrance to you, that it became not empty, 2 but having suffered previously and having been mistreated in Philippi, just as you know, we had boldness in our God to speak to you the good-news of God with much opposition1. 3 For our exhortation was not from deceit nor from uncleanness nor in deception, 4 but just as we were tested2 by God to be entrusted the goodnews, thus we speak, not as pleasing men, but [pleasing] the God testing3 our hearts. 5 For neither formerly did we come in word of flattery, just as you know, either in pretext of greed, God [is] witness, 6 neither seeking glory from men, neither from you nor from others, 7 being able to be weighty as Christ's apostles; but we became gentle in your midst, even as [a] nurse cherishes her own children. 8 So having-a-kindly-feeling for you we resolved to impart to you not only the good-news of God but also our own psyche-lives4 , because you became agape-beloved to us. 9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and our hardship, night and day working so as not to burden any [of you], we proclaimed to you the good-news of God. 10 You [are] witness, and God [also], how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we became to you the believing [ones], 11 just as you know how each one [of you]—as [a] father his own children— 12 [We were] exhorting you and encouraging you and testifying for you to be walking worthily of the God having called you to his own kingdom and glory. 13 And because of this we also thank God unceasingly, that having received the word of God from hearing us, you received [it] not [as the] word of men, but just as it is truly, [the] word of God, which also works in you the believing [ones]. 14 For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God being in Judea in Christ Jesus, for you also suffered the same [things] from your own countrymen, just as they also from Judea, 15 from those having killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and having persecuted us, and not pleasing God, and hostile to all men, 16 hindering us to speak to the nations that they be saved, to fill up their sins always. But the wrath came upon them in the end. 17 But we, brothers, having been orphaned from you for [the] time of [an] hour in presence, not in heart, much more we were eager to see your face in great desire. 18 Because we wanted to come to you, even I Paul, again and again, and Satan hindered us. 19 For what [is] our hope or joy or crown of boast—[are] not even you—before our Lord Jesus in his coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.


1or "struggle"

2or "approved"

3or "approving"

4from PSYCHE (ψυχη): an individual manifestation of life/consciousness. Animals have PSYCHEs as well as humans. Contrast ZOE (ζωη)—Life 'collectively', interdependent, interconnected.