The passage
      v1. In the opening four verses, Paul calls on his readers to remember the mission that was recently held in their town. It was certainly not a "failure" - hollow, empty and wanting in purpose.
      v2. Even before Paul and his team reached Thessalonica they faced persecution and now the situation is no better. If the mission had existed for financial gain or the like, then Paul and his associates would have given it away as a bad joke long ago, but they stuck to their task and in God's power the gospel has been presented.
      v3. It cannot be claimed that the preaching of the missionaries was in error, or for immoral purposes, nor just a cunning marketing ploy to get money.
      v4. The teaching was certainly not in error, as the missionaries presented a message entrusted to them by God. It was certainly not for immoral purposes, because both the mission and the message was approved by God. It was certainly not a marketing ploy, a trick, for it aimed to please God, not the people. God sees all things, for nothing in the inner life of a person is hidden from him, so if the mission was performed for other than the best of reasons, the Lord would know.
      v5-6. In these two verses Paul goes on to ask his readers to confirm the non-existence of three more criticisms. First, Paul asks his readers to confirm that the mission was not designed to flatter. It was not designed to peddle human emotions, using words and methods to gain predetermined selfish ends. Second, the mission was not a mask, was not a front. It was not designed to promote self-interest behind an acceptable front. Third, neither was the mission just a means for the self aggrandizement of the missionaries themselves.
      v7-9. Paul now deals with the specific criticism that the mission was but a money-making enterprise. Although he and the rest of the team had every right to expect the new Christians to support their work (cf. 2Thess.3:8, 2Cor.11:9, 12:16), he had none-the-less taken a gentle line with them, caring for their needs rather than expecting them to care for his needs. Because of the great affection he felt toward the new Christians in Thessalonica, Paul not only shared the gospel with them, but he shared his whole person. The missionaries shared themselves. This was evidenced by the fact that they worked at their trades (Paul was a tent maker) while on mission so that the church would not have to carry the financial burden of their upkeep.
      v10. In these final verses, Paul calls on his readers to recognize the positive features of the mission. It could only be said that the missionaries were upright in conduct - holy, righteous and blameless.
      v11. The missioners had acted in a caring way toward the new church.
      v12. The missioners were into "encouraging" (directing), "comforting" (giving cheer and inspiration) and "urging" (stirring the Thessalonians up to good works). All this was directed toward one end, that the members of this new church might live lives worthy of the Lord, worthy of the one who bids them forward toward the splendor of His kingdom.

Encouragement
      In verses 11 and 12 of our passage for study, Paul uses three words to illustrate a gospel ministry within a Christian fellowship. The words sum up Paul's ministry in the Thessalonian church and they serve as a useful guide to a ministry that seeks to shape "lives worthy of God", worthy of the God who calls us into his kingdom and glory.
        i] Encouragement, in the sense of directing, showing the way. Christian ministry, whether by an ordained person, full-time professional, or an unpaid member of the congregation, involves being a signpost both by the things we say and by the things we do. Discipleship is a difficult business and therefore, we need a clear understanding of the Lord's mind when it comes to the matters of life.
        ii] Comfort, in the sense of consoling, giving words of cheer and inspiration in the face of trouble. Discipleship is no easy business, the way is rough and rock-strewn and so we will always need a helping hand. Again, Christian ministry involves consoling the downhearted, and we all get down at some time or other.
        iii] Urging, in the sense of giving strong words to slackers. Each of us, from time to time, fall back in our dedication to cross-bearing discipleship. We sit down on the side of the narrow way, or we even head off on the broad way that leads to destruction. It is when we drift that we need a strong word from those who minister to us. We don't need condemnation or a turned back, rather we need to be stirred up to be what we are.

v2
      uJbrisqenteV aor. pas. part. "been insulted" - having been mistreated / insulted. "Insulted" in the sense of subjected to insolent and outrageous behavior. The participle, as with the participle "having suffered previously", is probably adverbial of time / temporal, "as you know, after we had experienced suffering and insult at Philippi, we took courage ...." Sometimes a participle is used to form a dependent statement of perception/knowing, "insomuch as you know that we had been ill-treated and insulted at Philippi, but we took courage and ....
      eparrhsiasameqa (parrhsiazomai) aor. "we dared" - we took courage. Probably an ingressive aorist where the emphasis is placed on the beginning of the action. "We declared the gospel of God to you frankly and fearlessly", REB.
      agwni (wn wnoV) "opposition" - the effort of an individual or the struggle between two or more individuals. Obviously the latter is intended. "Not without a struggle", Barclay.

v3
      gar "for" - Expressing cause/reason, although as an unemphatic conjunction, the "for" is often not translated.
      hJ paraklhsiV (iV ewV) "the appeal" - exhortation. Possibly the gospel itself, or more likely an appeal to accept the gospel.
      "to you", TEV, but not NIV. Note that some translations take the view that the passage, v2 through 7, is a specific word for the Thessalonians and is not just general observations as to Paul's ministry methods.
      planhV (h) "error" - Lightfoot suggests that the "error" is intellectual rather than moral and therefore a sense such as "deceit" would be too strong, although Bruce disagrees. An influence that leads astray rather than a mistake. "Our message to you is true", Phillips.

v4
      dedokimasmeqa (dokimazw) perf. pas. "approved" - having been approved after testing. The perfect tense indicating that the testing and approval continues.
      pisteuqhnai (pisteuw) aor. pas. inf. "to be entrusted with" - The tense now indicates a once off entrusting. The function of the infinitive is unclear, possibly forming a dependent statement, "God decided that he could trust us with the gospel", TNT, or possibly epexegetic, explaining in what sense Paul stands approved, "God has attested our fitness to be entrusted with the gospel", Moffatt. "God was pleased to trust us with his message", CEV.
      areskonteV (areskw) pres. part. "we are [not] trying to please [men]" - pleasing. Possibly a causal participle, "since/because we are not out to please people." Please = make people like us or do what people want us to do.
      taV kardiaV (a) "[our] hearts" - Not the seat of emotions, but rather the will and intellect, so "who knows us through and through", Phillips; "who knows our motives", CEV.

v5
      kolakeiaV (a) "flattery" - Working a person to gain an advantage over them.
      oute en profasei pleonexiaV "nor did we put on a mask" - nor with a motive of greed. The missionaries were not playing the church for money, "God knows that what we did was not a cover-up for greed", CEV.

v6
      zhtouteV (zhtew) pres. part. "we were [not] looking [for praise]" - [nor] seeking [of men glory]. The participle is modal, expressing the manner in which the action of the main verb egenhqhmen "used", lit "we were" is accomplished. "We never resorted (v5) ..... [to] seek honor from men", Moffatt.
      doxan (a) "praise" - glory. "Applause", "curry favor", REB.

v7
      barei (oV) "burden" - load, weight. The sense is probably of "financial demands."
      hpioi ... nhpioi "gentle" - infants, babes ..... gentle. Both textual variants carry weight, but "gentle" fits best with the context. "We were as gentle as a nurse cherishing her children", Barclay.

v8
      metadounai (metadidwmi) aor. inf. "to share with" - to impart, share, distribute. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the verb "we were delighted / pleased".The verbal phrase, "we were pleased to impart", takes two objects, the "gospel" and the missionaries "lives". "It was a joy to give you, not only the gospel ...", Phillips.
      to euaggelion tou qeou "the gospel of God" - The usual subjective / objective genitive problem exists here. Is this a message about God, or a message directed toward God, or both? Subjective seems best.
      yucaV (h) "life" - soul. Used here in the sense of Paul's whole being given up for the sake of the Thessalonians.
      dioti "because" - Sometimes used to introduce a consequence, but most times used to introduce a reason for, "because."

v9
      ergazomenoi (ergazomai) pres. part. "we worked" - working. The participle probably serves to form a dependent statement of perception, "you remember ....... that we worked ..."
      nuktoV kai hJmeraV gen. "night and day" - A genitive of time. Paul worked during the day and the evenings to pay his own way while with the Thessalonians.
      proV + inf. "in order [not to be a burden]" - This preposition + the articular infinitive serves to form a purpose clause, as NIV.
      to mh epibarhsai (epibarew) inf. "not to be a burden" - Obviously "financial burden" is intended, but a general burden is possible, "we would not be any trouble to you", TEV.
      ekhruxamen (khrussw) aor. "preached" - proclaimed. The word "preached" today often applies to what happens in a church, but Paul's sense here is of the general communication of the gospel. "So that we could tell you God's message", CEV; "we proclaimed the good news of God to you", Barclay.
      to euaggelion (on) "gospel" - Often translated "good news", but of course, it is not good news to those who are perishing. "God's important message to humanity", may be closer to the mark.

v10
      toiV pisteuousin (pisteuw) pres. part. "you who believe" - the ones believing. The substantival use of the participle. The present tense possibly carrying the idea "you who continue to believe."

v11
      "we dealt with" - The main verb is omitted in the Gk. Possibilities include "treated", Bruce / Barclay; "counselled", Best; "dealt with", Phillips / ARV; "we did everything for you", CEV; possibly "brought up" / "trained", Wanamaker.