¹For you yourselves know, brothers, our approach with you – that it has not been in vain – ²but, although we had suffered before and had been spitefully treated, as you know, in Philippi, we spoke out frankly in our God, so as to propound to you the gospel of God, amid much opposition. ³For our appeal did not stem from error or from uncleanness, nor was it in deceit, ⁴but it is according to how we have been approved of by God to be entrusted with the gospel that we speak, not in pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts. ⁵For neither were we at any time involved in a word of flattery, as you know, nor in a pretext for greed – God is a witness – ⁶nor did we seek glory from men, either from you, or from others, since as apostles of Christ we could have behaved with gravity, ⁷but we were gentle when in your company, as a nursing-mother would cherish her own children. ⁸So, longing for you, we were glad to share with you not only the gospel of God, but also our own selves, because you had become dear to us. ⁹For you remember, brothers, our labour and toil, for we worked night and day so as not to burden any of you when we proclaimed the gospel of God to you. ¹⁰You are witnesses, and God too, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved towards you who believe, ¹¹as you know: how we encouraged and comforted you, each one of you, as a father his own children, ¹²and how we urged that you should walk worthy of God, who called you into his own kingdom and glory. ¹³On account of this, we also thank God continually, because when you received the reported word of God from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, who is also active in you who believe. ¹⁴For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus, in that you too suffered the same things done by people of your own community, just as they for their part suffered things done by the Jews, ¹⁵who also killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and who drove us out, and who do not please God, and who are opposed to all men, ¹⁶preventing us from speaking to the Gentiles in order that they might be saved, so that they constantly bring their sins to completion; indeed wrath has come upon them in the end. ¹⁷But we, brothers, having been bereft of you for a short time, in presence, not in heart, endeavoured most strenuously to see your face, with much longing, ¹⁸which is why we wished to come to you, that is, me, Paul, more than once, but Satan hindered us. ¹⁹For what is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it anything but you in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? ²⁰For you are our glory and joy.