2 My brothers, you yourselves know that our visit to you was not for nothing.
2 The people at the city of Philippi treated us very badly. As you know, we had much trouble. But God helped us, and we did not fear to tell you God's good news. But many things were against us and tried to stop us.
3 Our message was not a lie. What we told you was not wrong. And we did not try to fool you.
4 But God chose us to tell people the good news. And so we do not speak to please men, but to please God. He is the one who knows what is in our hearts.
5 We never said nice things about people that were not true. You know this. We never talked to get something out of it for ourselves. God knows this.
6 And we did not ask you or anybody else to help us or to praise us. Of course, we are apostles of Christ, and we had the right to do so.
7 But we were kind when we were with you. We were like a woman taking care of her own children.
8 Because we loved you, we were glad to give you God's good news. We were also glad to give you our lives, because we loved you very much.
9 My brothers, you remember how hard we worked. We worked night and day so that we would not trouble any of you. And we told you God's good news.
10 We lived in a holy and right way among you Christians. We did nothing wrong to you. You know this yourselves and God knows it too.
11 You know how we talked to each of you as a father talks to his children. We comforted, helped, and taught you.
12 We told you to live to please God. He called you to his own kingdom and greatness.
13 And here is another reason why we always thank God all the time. When you heard God's word from us, you did not say, `That is men's word.' But you said, `That is God's word.' And it really is God's word. The word is working in you Christians.
14 My brothers, you were like the churches of God in Judea which belong to Christ Jesus. The people of your own country troubled you in the same way that the Jews troubled them.
15 The Jewish leaders killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets. And they drove us out of their country. They do not please God and they are against all other people.
16 They try to stop us from talking to those people who are not Jews. They do not want them to be saved. So they are always doing wrong things. And now at last, God has become very angry with them. have been away from you for a short time in body, but not in heart. We wanted very much to see you face to face, and we tried hard to come.
17 We wanted to come to you. Twice, I, Paul, wanted to come. But Satan stopped us.
18 What is our hope when our Lord Jesus comes? What will make us happy and proud then? It is you people!
19 You are ones of whom we are proud. You make us happy.