Bible ~~- Newer Testament ~~- 1st Thessalonians ~~- chapter 2 of 5 (20 verses.)

1st Thessalonians 2Wrench

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True Disciples Work Hard & Suffer Persecution
1 Brothers, you know our visit to you was not in vain.
2 You know how we [apostles] suffer, πŸ˜‡. [Religio-political criminals] shamefully abused us at Philippi {Horse-City}. But against [outrageous] opposition, [YHVH] our Eloah sent us courage. So we [risked our lives] by speaking His Good News to you.
True Believers Are 100% Honest And Clear
3 For our appeal doesn't spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, πŸ˜‡.
For instance, you cannot win true disciples by telling them the lie that God punishes people in conscious eternal torment. Or that God only forgives you if some human or animal bleeds. Those are guilt and fear-based tricks invented by snake-oil-selling shysters grabbing for money in the collection plate. A hellfire and blood-sacrifice preacher is a boy crying wolf. When his victims wise up, they distrust everything having to do with Christianity. ChristenDumb is a vaccination against Christendom.
4 Rather, [YHVH] the Eloah empowers us [believers] as trustees of [His] Awesome Revelations. So we speak, πŸ˜‡, not to please men, but [to please YHVH] the Eloah, who tests our hearts.
5 You remember [how] we [apostles] never use flattering words nor cloaked covetousness. Elohim is our witness, πŸ˜‡.
6 We apostles of the Messiah could assert our authority. Yet we never seek glory from men. Not from you, πŸ˜‡, nor from anyone else.
True Disciples Persevere To Nurture Converts
7 We [apostles live] gently among you [new believers], like mother[s] caring for [their] little children.
8 We [apostles have always] dearly loved you [new believers]. [We're] not content to just pass on the Good News. We've [always] wanted to give you our hearts. We're devoted to you. You are our delight, πŸ˜‡.
9 Brothers, you remember our toil and hardship. While we [apostles] heralded the gospel of [YHVH] the Eloah to you, we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone.
10 You are witnesses, and so is [YHVH] the Eloah, of how holy, righteous and blameless our behavior was among you believers.
11 You know how we [apostles] invited, encouraged and implored each one of you [new believers] as a father would [love] his own children.
12 We [apostles] have [always] encouraged you, comforted you and appealed to you to walk [out your lives] in a way worthy of [YHVH] the Eloah, who calls you, πŸ˜‡, into his Kingdom and [his] glory.
13 When you [new believers] received the Word of [YHVH] the Eloah (which we [apostles] spoke to you,) you received it not as the word of men, but as it truthfully is: Elohim's Word, which powerfully works in you who believe. For this, we [apostles] thank YHVH non-stop.
14 Like you, πŸ˜‡, YHVH’s Judaean Ekklesiae are [parts of the political body of] Yahshua the Messiah. You [Greco-Roman] brothers follow in the footsteps of the Judaean believers. You suffer the same [persecution] (from your countrymen) that the Judaean believers [suffered] from the Jews.
False Religion Thwarts Gospel Communications
15 [False religionists among the Jews] killed [our] Master Yahshua, [just like] they [and their ancestors murdered] their [other Hebrew] prophets. [So of course the pigs] persecute us [apostles], πŸ˜‡. [False religionists] never please Elohim. [Hypocrites] are the enemies of the entire human race.
This also applies to the general population and leadership of worldly people.
16 [False religionists and the people and leaders who support them] forbid us [apostles] to speak to the Nations, πŸ˜‡. If the [frauds] would stop blocking us [true believers], the Nations might be saved. The [scammers] always heap up their sins to the limit. But [Elohim's] fury falls on them in the end.
One modern example: Try to go on an international mission trip without doing something that the Messiah forbids, like entering into insurance contracts and swearing an oath on a passport application, for example. (See James 5:12.) You are right now being blocked from bringing the Good News to the Nations. So you say, β€œWe'll disobey Jesus so we can go and preach the good news.” But your behavior IS your message. The natives stare at your passport and your money. They don't care what you SAY. If instead you stowed away penniless on a fishing boat to travel to miraculously heal natives' diseases, then they might listen to your theology. Impractical, you say? Tell that to Paul.
False Religionists Separate True Believers
17 Siblings, [the religionists] tore us [apostles] away from you (in body, not in heart). Out of our intense longing, we've made every effort to see your faces. [But we rejoice that our enemies can only keep us apart] during this brief [life on earth].
18 We [apostles] have always wanted so much to come to you [new believers]. I, Paul, ventured [out toward you] more than once. But the Adversary [Satanas] stopped us.
19 For at the return of the visible presence of our Master Yahshua, [the] Messiah, what will be our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoicing? Won’t it be you [new believers], πŸ˜‡?
People you love are the only β€˜things’ you can possibly take with you into eternity. No true Christian lives for things. True Christians live to save evil, ungrateful people.
20 Yes, πŸ˜‡, you are our glory and our joy!
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