1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.
2 But1 even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at aPhilippi, as you know, we were bbold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.
3aFor our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor wasit in deceit.
4 But as awe have been approved by God bto be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, cnot as pleasing men, but God dwho tests our hearts.
5 For aneither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a1 cloak for covetousness—bGod is witness.
6aNor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when bwe might have cmade demands das apostles of Christ.
7 But awe were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased ato impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also bour own lives, because you had become dear to us.
9 For you remember, brethren, our alabor and toil; for laboring night and day, bthat we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.
10aYou are witnesses, and God also,bhow devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe;
11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and1 charged every one of you, as a father does his own children,
12athat you would walk worthy of God bwho calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
Their Conversion
13 For this reason we also thank God awithout ceasing, because when you breceived the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed itcnot as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively dworks in you who believe.
14 For you, brethren, became imitators aof the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For byou also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans,
15awho killed both the Lord Jesus and btheir own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God cand are contrary to all men,
16aforbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always bto fill up themeasureof their sins; cbut wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.
Longing to See Them
17 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time ain presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.
18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but aSatan hindered us.
For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you - notes, I Thessalonians 1:9. Paul appeals to themselves for proof that they had not come among them as impostors. They had had a full opportunity to see them, and to know what influenced them. Paul frequently appeals to his own life, and to what they, among whom he labored, knew of it, as a full refutation of the slanderous accusations of his enemies; compare notes, I Corinthians 4:10-16; I Corinthians 9:19-27; II Corinthians 6:3-10. Every minister of the gospel ought so to live as to be able, when slanderously attacked, to make such an appeal to his people.
That it was not in vain - ̀ kenē This word means:
Here it seems, from the connection I Thessalonians 2:3-5, to be used in the latter sense, as denoting that they were not deceivers. The object does not appear to be so much to show that their ministry was successful, as to meet a charge of their adversaries that they were impostors. Paul tells them that from their own observation they knew that this was not so.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing 1 Thessalonians 2:1:
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