1 Thessalonians 2:1–10

Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica

²You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, ²but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.^{* 3}For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, ⁴but, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals but to please God, who tests our hearts.^{* 5}As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed,^{* 6}nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others,^{* 7}though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle^a among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. ⁸So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

⁹You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.^{* 10}You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers.^*