^2:1For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters,¹ about our coming to you—it has not proven to be purposeless.²^2:2But although we suffered earlier and were mistreated in Philippi,³ as you know, we had the courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God⁴ in spite of much opposition. ^2:3For the appeal we make⁵ does not come⁶ from error or impurity or with deceit, ^2:4but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts. ^2:5For we never appeared⁷ with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness—^2:6nor to seek glory from people, either from you or from others, ^2:7⁸ although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead we became⁹ little children¹⁰ among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children, ^2:8with such affection for you¹¹ we were happy¹² to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. ^2:9For you recall, brothers and sisters,¹³ our toil and drudgery: By working night and day so as not to impose a burden on any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. ^2:10You are witnesses, and so is God, as to how holy and righteous and blameless our conduct was toward you who believe.

Read in Logos

1 Thessalonians 2:4: but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

Footnotes

1 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
2 Grk “has not become empty.” Paul is defending himself against the charge that he lacked earnestness and personal concern for them, but appeared in their city out of greed or egotism. In his defense he appeals to what they recall of his ministry and what has become of it since he left, all of which demonstrates his God-given earnestness and effectiveness.
3 For location see ; ; ; .
4 The genitive in the phrase τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ (to euangelion tou theou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ; M. Zerwick, , §§36–39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself. This same phrase occurs in vv. 8 and 9 as well.
5 Grk “For our exhortation.” Paul here uses παράκλησις (paraklēsis) to speak in broad terms about his preaching of the gospel, in which he urges or appeals to people to respond to God’s salvation (cf. the verb form παρακαλοῦντος [parakalountos] in 2 Cor 5:20).
6 Grk “[is] not” (the verb “to be” is implied in the Greek construction).
7 Or “came on the scene,” “came.”
8 Punctuating vv. 6 and 7 is difficult. One must consider the difficult textual problem of v. 7 (see note on the word “children” in that verse) as well as the grammar of the verse. In the translation above, “little children” is understood to be a predicate nominative connected to the verb “became.” This allows a full stop to be placed at the end of v. 6 and before the phrase “like a nursing mother” in v. 7. This separates the two metaphors which impact the textual problem and allows for greater clarity in the way the sentence is read.
9 Or “were,” “proved to be.”
10 The variant ἤπιοι (ēpioi, “gentle”) has fair support (א2 A C2 D2 Ψc 0278 33 1739 1881 𝔐), but νήπιοι (nēpioi, “little children”) has significantly stronger backing (𝔓65 א* B C* D* F G I Ψ* it bo). It is not insignificant that the earliest Alexandrian and Western witnesses in support of ἤπιοι are actually not Alexandrian or Western; they are the second correctors of Alexandrian and Western . Such correctors generally follow a Byzantine . The reading νήπιοι is thus superior externally. Further, νήπιοι is much harder in this context, for Paul mixes his metaphors (“we became little children in your midst … Like a nursing mother …”). Thus, the scribes would naturally alter this reading to the softer ἤπιοι (“we became gentle …”). Paul is not known for his consistency of figures, however (cf., e.g., Gal 4:19); hence, the intrinsic evidence points to νήπιοι as original. On the other hand, it is possible that νήπιοι was caused by dittography with the preceding -μεν (-men). It is even possible that νήπιοι was caused by an error of hearing right from the beginning: The amanuensis could have heard the apostle incorrectly. But such a supposition cuts both ways; further, Paul would no doubt have corrected the reading in the before it was sent out. If so, one would surely have expected both earlier witnesses on the side of ἤπιοι and perhaps a few first correctors to have this reading. The reading “little children” thus stands as most probably original. (For an extended discussion of this problem, see J. A. D. Weima, “ ‘But We Became Infants Among You’: The Case for NHPIOI in 1 Thess 2.7,” 46 [2000]: 547–64; T. B. Sailors, “Wedding Textual and Rhetorical Criticism to Understand the Text of 1 Thessalonians 2.7,” 80 [2000]: 81–98.)
11 Grk “longing for you in this way.”
12 Or “we are happy.” This verb may be past or present tense, but the context favors the past.
13 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .