as I call to mind your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the presence of our God and Father.

But as my fitness to be entrusted with the gospel has been tested and approved by God, I so speak, not to please men, but to please God, who is testing my motives.

For as you well know, I never resorted to flattery, nor to any pretext for enriching myself. God is my witness!

Now was I seeking glory from men, either yourselves or others, although I might have exercised authority as Christ's apostle.

On the contrary I showed myself among you as gentle as a mother, when she tenderly nurses her own children.

You recall, brothers, my labor and toil; how, while working at my trade day and night, so as not to become a burden to any of you, I proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

You know how I was wont to treat each of you as a father treats his children,

For this reason also I am giving continual thanks to God, because when you heard from me the spoken word of God, you received it not as the word of men, but as the word of God (which in truth it is), who himself is effectually at work in you believe.

For even when I was with you I used to tell you beforehand that I was to suffer affliction; and so it proved, as you know.

But now that Timothy has returned from you to me, and has brought good news of your faith and love, and that you are still holding me in affectionate remembrance, always longing to see me as I also am longing to see you.

Meanwhile, may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all men, even as I do toward you.

Finally then, my brothers, I continue to beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you learned of me how to walk so as to please God??nd you are actually doing so??hat you abound in it yet more and more.

That no man overreach or take advantage of his brother in such matters, because "the Lord takes vengeance" in all these things, as also I repeatedly forewarned you and testified to you.

As indeed you do love all the brothers in Macedonia. But I exhort you, brothers, to abound in this yet more.

Also, that you endeavor to live quietly and to mind your own business, and to work with your hands (as I charged you).

Now as to the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you.

You yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.

So then let us not be sleeping as do the rest, but let us be watchful and self-controlled.

So comfort one another, and try to build one another up, as indeed you are doing.