1For you yourselves know, brothers,[1] that our coming to you was not in vain. (帖前1:9; 帖后1:10)2But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. (徒4:13; 徒16:22; 徒17:2; 腓1:30)3For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, (林后2:17; 林后4:2; 帖前4:7; 帖后2:11)4but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. (诗17:3; 羅8:27; 加1:10; 加2:7)5For we never came with words of flattery,[2] as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. (徒20:33; 羅1:9; 帖前2:10)6Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. (约5:41; 林前9:1; 林前9:4; 林后4:5; 林后11:9; 帖前2:9; 帖后3:9; 门1:8)7But we were gentle[3] among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. (赛49:23; 赛60:16; 林前14:20; 帖前2:11; 提后2:24)8So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. (林后12:15)9For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. (徒18:3; 腓4:16; 帖后3:8)10You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. (帖前1:5; 帖前2:5)11For you know how, like a father with his children, (林前4:14; 帖前2:7)12we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (羅8:28; 弗4:1; 弗4:17; 帖前5:24; 帖后2:14; 彼前5:10)13And we also thank God constantly[4] for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men[5] but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. (太10:20; 羅10:17; 加4:14; 帖前1:2; 來4:12)14For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,[6] (徒17:5; 林前7:17; 帖前1:6; 帖前3:4; 帖后1:4; 來10:33)15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind (斯3:8; 耶2:30; 太5:12; 太23:29; 路24:20)16by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last![7] (创15:16; 徒13:45; 徒13:50; 徒14:2; 徒14:19; 徒17:5; 徒17:13; 徒18:12; 徒22:21; 帖前1:10)
Paul’s Longing to See Them Again
17But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, (林前5:3; 西2:5; 帖前3:10)18because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. (羅1:13; 羅15:22)19For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? (太24:3; 林前15:23; 林前15:31; 林后1:14; 腓4:1; 帖前3:13; 帖前4:15; 帖前5:23; 帖后1:4; 帖后2:1; 帖后2:8; 雅5:7; 彼后1:16; 彼后3:4; 彼后3:12; 约一2:28)20For you are our glory and joy.