1 Thessalonians 2:1–10

Entrusted with the Gospel

¹For you yourselves know, brothers, that our ^aentrance to you ^bwas not in vain,

²but after we had already suffered and been ^amistreated in ^bPhilippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God ^cto speak to you the ^dgospel of God amid much ^estruggle.

³For our ^aexhortation does not come from ^berror or ^cimpurity or ¹by way of ^ddeceit;

^4abut just as we have been approved by God to be ^bentrusted with the gospel, so we speak, ^cnot as pleasing men, but God who ^1dexamines our hearts.

⁵For we never came with a flattering word, as you know, nor with ^aa pretext for greed—^bGod is witness—

⁶nor ^aseeking glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as ^bapostles of Christ we ¹could have been a burden to you.

⁷But we ¹proved to be ^2agentle ³among you, ^bas a nursing mother ⁴tenderly cares for her own children.

⁸In this way, having fond affection for you, we were pleased to ^aimpart to you not only the ^bgospel of God but also our own ¹lives, because you had become beloved to us.

⁹For you remember, brothers, our ^alabor and hardship, how ^bworking night and day so as not to be a ^cburden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the ^dgospel of God.

¹⁰You are witnesses, and so is ^aGod, of ^bhow devoutly and righteously and blamelessly we ¹behaved toward you ²believers;