^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. ^2:11As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children, ^2:12exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you live in a way worthy of God who calls you to his own kingdom and his glory.

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Footnotes

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 .

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Instead, we were like young children among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles, instead we were gentle among you, as a nurse nurtures her own children. We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. For you remember our labor and hardship, brothers and sisters. Working night and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously, and blamelessly we conducted ourselves with you believers. As you know, like a father with his own children, we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

NLTNew Living Translation

As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you. You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Although we could have insisted on our own importance as apostles of Christ, yet we became infants in your midst, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children. Longing for you in this way, we determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own souls, because you had become dear to us.

For you remember, brothers, our labor and hardship: working by night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and righteously and blamelessly we became to you who believe, just as you know how we treated each one of you, like a father his own children, exhorting and consoling you and insisting that you live in a manner worthy of God, who calls you to his own kingdom and glory.

KJV 1900King James Version

But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

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