Being conscious, my brothers, dear to God, that you have been marked out by God's purpose;

For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in great fulness of assurance; as ye know what manner of men we have been among you for your sakes.

For from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out; so that we need not to say anything.

For yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto you, that it hath not been found vain:

but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in much conflict.

but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts.

For we have not at any time been among you with flattering discourse, even as ye know, nor with a pretext for covetousness, God is witness;

Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

but have been gentle in the midst of you, as a nurse would cherish her own children.

Seeing that we were thus drawn affectionately towards you, it would have been a joy to us to have imparted to you not only God's Good News, but to have given our very lives also, because you had become very dear to us.

But we, brethren, having been bereaved of you and separated for a little moment in person, not in heart, have used more abundant diligence to see your face with much desire;

this I Paul have frequently attempted, but Satan has been my obstacle.

so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.

for we told you beforehand, when we were with you, that "we Christians are to have trouble" ??and, as you know, it has been so.)

For this cause I also, when I couldn't stand it any longer, sent that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain.

for this reason we have been comforted in you, brethren, in all our distress and tribulation, through your faith,

how can I be sufficiently thankful to God upon your account, for all the joy, which by your means we have been affected with,

Now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write you, for you have been [personally] taught by God to love one another [that is, to have an unselfish concern for others and to do things for their benefit].

And I wish you not to be ignorant, brethren, of them having been asleep, that ye should not grieve, as also the rest, they hating no hope.

So then, go on comforting and building up one another, as you have been doing.

God, by whom you have been marked out in his purpose, is unchanging and will make it complete.