12So that your lives might be pleasing to God, who has given you a part in his kingdom and his glory.
13And for this cause we still give praise to God, that, when the word came to your ears through us, you took it, not as the word of man, but, as it truly is, the word of God, which has living power in you who have faith.
14For you, my brothers, took as your examples the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus; because you underwent the same things from your countrymen as they did from the Jews;
15Who put to death the Lord Jesus and the prophets, violently driving us out; who are unpleasing to God and against all men;
16Who, to make the measure of their sins complete, kept us from giving the word of salvation to the Gentiles: but the wrath of God is about to come on them in the fullest degree.
17But we, my brothers, being away from you for a short time, in body but not in heart, had all the more desire to see your face;
18For which reason we made attempts to come to you, even I, Paul, once and again; but Satan kept us from coming.
