Jamieson, Fausset and Brown on 1 Thessalonians 2:19

19. For--giving the reason for his earnest desire to see them.

Are not even ye in the presence of ... Christ--"Christ" is omitted in the oldest manuscripts. Are not even ye (namely, among others; the "even" or "also," implies that not they alone will be his crown) our hope, joy, and crown of rejoicing before Jesus, when He shall come (2Co 1:14; Php 2:16; 4:1)? The "hope" here meant is his hope (in a lower sense), that these his converts might be found in Christ at His advent (1Th 3:13). Paul's chief "hope" was Jesus Christ (1Ti 1:1).