| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, about our coming to you--it has not proven to be purposeless. | 1You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain. |
| 2But although we suffered earlier and were mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of much opposition. | 2As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God. |
| 3For the appeal we make does not come from error or impurity or with deceit, | 3For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery. |
| 4but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts. | 4Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts. |
| 5For we never appeared with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed--God is our witness-- | 5As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness! |
| 6nor to seek glory from people, either from you or from others, | 6Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it. |
| 7although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead we became little children among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children, | 7On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children. |
| 8with such affection for you we were happy to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. | 8We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us. |
| 9For you recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery: By working night and day so as not to impose a burden on any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. | 9Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. |
| 10You are witnesses, and so is God, as to how holy and righteous and blameless our conduct was toward you who believe. | 10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed. |
| 11As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children, | 11For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children— |
| 12exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you live in a way worthy of God who calls you to his own kingdom and his glory. | 12encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. |
| 13And so we too constantly thank God that when you received God's message that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human message, but as it truly is, God's message, which is at work among you who believe. | 13And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the true word of God—the word which is now at work in you who believe. |
| 14For you became imitators, brothers and sisters, of God's churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you too suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they in fact did from the Jews, | 14For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews, |
| 15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us severely. They are displeasing to God and are opposed to all people, | 15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men, |
| 16because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they constantly fill up their measure of sins, but wrath has come upon them completely. | 16hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them. |
| 17But when we were separated from you, brothers and sisters, for a short time (in presence, not in affection) we became all the more fervent in our great desire to see you in person. | 17Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense. |
| 18For we wanted to come to you (I, Paul, in fact tried again and again) but Satan thwarted us. | 18For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us. |
| 19For who is our hope or joy or crown to boast of before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not of course you? | 19After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? |
| 20For you are our glory and joy! | 20You are indeed our glory and our joy. |
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