1 Thessalonians 2:2 Cross References - AUV

² But [even though] we had already suffered and been mistreated at Philippi [See Acts 16:19-24], as you people know, we had the boldness, [with help] from God, to tell you His message in spite of much struggle [i.e., opposition].

¹³ Now when these men saw how boldly Peter and John spoke, and perceived that they were uneducated and [even] ignorant men, they were quite surprised; then they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

²⁰ we cannot help but speak about the things we have seen and heard."

³¹ And after they had prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and these disciples were all filled with [the power of] the Holy Spirit and they were able to speak the message of God with boldness.

⁴¹ When the apostles left the Council meeting, they were rejoicing over being considered worthy to suffer [such] shame for the name [of Jesus].

⁹ But several men from the synagogue, made up of freed slaves from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia, began arguing with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they could not stand up to the wisdom and [power of] the Holy Spirit by which Stephen spoke.

³ Paul and Barnabas remained there a long time and spoke [the message] boldly for [or, in the power of] the Lord who gave His approval to the message of unearned favor by allowing [miraculous] signs and wonders to be performed by them.

¹ Certain men [i.e., believers, see verse 5] came down from Judea [to Antioch of Syria] and began teaching the brothers this: You cannot be saved unless you are circumcised according to the custom [required] by Moses. ² After Paul and Barnabas had a heated debate and argued with these men [over this issue], the brothers [of the Antioch church] decided that Paul and Barnabas, along with certain others, should go up to Jerusalem and discuss the question with the apostles and elders there.

¹² and from there to Philippi, a city of the principal district of Macedonia, [which was] a Roman colony. We stayed in this city for a number of days.

²² Then the large crowd began attacking them, and the city officials had their clothes ripped off and ordered them to be beaten. ²³ After beating them severely, they threw them in jail and ordered the jailor to have them securely guarded. ²⁴ After receiving these orders, the jailor threw them into the maximum security cell and had their feet securely fastened in wooden restraints.

³⁷ But Paul responded to the officials, "These city officials had us innocent Roman citizens publicly beaten and thrown in jail. Are they now trying to release us privately? No indeed! Let the officials themselves come and [publicly] release us."

² As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, [and] for three Sabbath days [in a row] he taught them from the Scriptures, ³ explaining and declaring that it was necessary for Christ to suffer and [then] rise again from the dead. Paul was saying, "This Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you, is the Christ." ⁴ Some of the Jews were convinced [that Jesus was the Messiah] and so joined with Paul and Silas. Also, a large number of devoted Greeks [i.e., Gentiles] and leading women [joined their group]. ⁵ But [other] Jews became jealous and, recruiting certain ungodly riffraff, they gathered a mob and brought the city to near-riot conditions. They [even] attacked Jason's house and attempted to bring Paul and Silas before the [assembly of] people. ⁶ When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials and shouted, "These men have turned the world upside down [i.e., disrupted society by their preaching] and have [now] come here also [i.e., to do the same thing in our community]. ⁷ Jason has welcomed them and [now] all of them [i.e., Paul, Silas, Jason and the others] are going against the [Roman] laws of Caesar by saying that someone else is [our] king; that Jesus is [king]!" ⁸ When they heard [these charges], the crowds and [even] the city officials became very disturbed [by the situation stirred up by the Jews]. ⁹ They made Jason and the others post bail, then released them.

¹⁷ So, he debated in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing people [i.e., Gentile proselytes], as well as in the open shopping market with others who met with him there.

⁸ Paul went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, discussing and convincing people about matters regarding the kingdom of God.

¹⁹ And [also pray] for me to be given boldness of speech in opening my mouth to make known the secret plan of the Gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in prison. [And pray] that I may be able to proclaim the Gospel boldly, as I ought to.

²⁷ So, [whatever happens], live your daily lives in such a way as to be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or remain absent from you, I will hear about you, that you are standing firm in one spirit [i.e., united in purpose, and] contending with one mind for the faith of the Gospel [i.e., for the body of Christian teaching]. ²⁸ [I also want to hear] that you are not being frightened by those who oppose you, which [opposition] is proof that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved, and this will [all] be done by God. ²⁹ Because God has granted you [the privilege], on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. ³⁰ [So], you are now experiencing the same struggle you [once] saw me going through, and now are hearing that I still am.

¹ I want you to know how much I am struggling for you [Note: This probably refers to the great effort Paul was exerting in prayer, preaching, etc.], and for those at Laodicia [Note: This was a town ten miles west of Colosse], and for all those who have never met me in person.

⁵ for our Gospel came to you, not merely in words, but also in power, in [a demonstration of] the Holy Spirit [See I Cor. 2:4] and with [“our” or “your”] deep conviction [of its truth]. You people know what kind of men we were while living among you for your benefit.

¹² For I am suffering these things [See verse 8] for this reason [i.e., because of being a Gospel preacher]. Yet I am not ashamed because I know whom I have believed in [i.e., Jesus], and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him [i.e., Paul’s spiritual well-being] until that day [i.e., the day of judgment].

³⁶ And [still] others experienced mockings and floggings, and were even chained up and put in prison. ³⁷ They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were executed by the sword. They traveled around in sheepskin and goatskin clothing; they were destitute, afflicted and mistreated.

² We should fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and completer of the [or, “our”] faith. [Note: Jesus is here pictured as the one who completely fulfills the life of faith, or who provides us with the ability to live such a life]. [And] because He could look forward to joy, He endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right side of God’s throne. ³ Now think about how Jesus endured such opposition against Himself from sinners, so that you do not grow weary and become discouraged [yourself].

¹⁴ or to governors who are appointed by him to punish wrongdoers, and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that, by doing good, you should put to silence the ignorant [talk and actions] of foolish people. ¹⁶ As servants of God, you should live as free people, but do not use this freedom to cover up your wrongdoing.

³ Dearly loved ones, as I was very eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we share in common, I felt it necessary [instead] to write urging you to contend earnestly for the faith [i.e., the teaching of Christ] which was once and for all delivered [by the apostles, See verse 17] to the saints [i.e., God’s holy people].