We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God love you and has chosen you to be His own people. For when we brought you the Good News it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both of us and the Lord. As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece – through both Macedonia and Achaia. (vv. 4-7, NLT)