2 For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not for nothing.  2 Although we had previously suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you are aware, we had the boldness in our God to preach God’s Gospel[1294] to you, despite much opposition.  3 For our exhortation does not proceed from error, impure motives, or deception,  4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, so we speak it, not to be pleasing to people but to God, who examines our hearts.  5 For we never came with flattering words, as you are aware, nor did we act in greed — as God is our witness —  6 nor did we seek glory from people, either you or others, even though we could have imposed our authority as Apostles of Messiah. 7 Instead we came to you in gentleness, as a nursing mother takes care of her own children.  8 With this affection for you, we took delight in sharing with you not only God’s Gospel, but also our very selves, because you have become so dear to us.
    9 For you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and labor. Working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you God’s Gospel.  10 You are witnesses, as is God, of how holy and uprightly and blamelessly we conducted ourselves toward you who believe. 11 You know how, like a father with his children, 12 we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each of you to behave in a way worthy of the God who is calling you into His own Kingdom and glory. [1295]
    13 We also thank God constantly that when you received the word of God[1296] you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of humans, but what it truly is, the Gospel-word of God which transmits its energy to you who believe it. [1297] 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of the churches of God in Messiah Jesus in Judea, because you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the lord Jesus and the prophets, and persecuted us. They do not please God and oppose all people, 16 preventing us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. So they always fill up the measure of their sins, but wrath has begun to come on them. [1298]
    17 But we, brothers and sisters, having been apart from you for a short time — in person but not in spirit — we desired even more to see your faces. 18 We wanted to come to you — I, Paul, tried several times — but Satan prevented us. 19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of pride? Is it not you, in the presence of our lord Jesus at his coming? [1299] 20 For you are our glory and our joy.