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1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Good News Translation
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Good News Translation
Paul's Work in Thessalonica
2 Our friends, you yourselves know that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 (A)You know how we had already been mistreated and insulted in Philippi before we came to you in Thessalonica. And even though there was much opposition, our God gave us courage to tell you the Good News that comes from him. 3 Our appeal to you is not based on error or impure motives, nor do we try to trick anyone. 4 Instead, we always speak as God wants us to, because he has judged us worthy to be entrusted with the Good News. We do not try to please people, but to please God, who tests our motives. 5 You know very well that we did not come to you with flattering talk, nor did we use words to cover up greed—God is our witness! 6 We did not try to get praise from anyone, either from you or from others, 7 even though as apostles of Christ we could have made demands on you. But we were gentle when we were with you, like a mother[a] taking care of her children. 8 Because of our love for you we were ready to share with you not only the Good News from God but even our own lives. You were so dear to us!
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- 1 Thessalonians 2:7 we were gentle when we were with you, like a mother; some manuscripts have we were like children when we were with you; we were like a mother.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
New International Version
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
New International Version
Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica
2 You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you(A) was not without results.(B) 2 We had previously suffered(C) and been treated outrageously in Philippi,(D) as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.(E) 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives,(F) nor are we trying to trick you.(G) 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.(H) We are not trying to please people(I) but God, who tests our hearts.(J) 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed(K)—God is our witness.(L) 6 We were not looking for praise from people,(M) not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles(N) of Christ we could have asserted our authority.(O) 7 Instead, we were like young children[a] among you.
Just as a nursing mother cares for her children,(P) 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God(Q) but our lives as well.(R)
Footnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Some manuscripts were gentle
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
The Message
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
The Message
2 1-2 So, friends, it’s obvious that our visit to you was no waste of time. We had just been given rough treatment in Philippi, as you know, but that didn’t slow us down. We were sure of ourselves in God, and went right ahead and said our piece, presenting God’s Message to you, defiant of the opposition.
No Hidden Agendas
3-5 God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message. Be assured that when we speak to you we’re not after crowd approval—only God approval. Since we’ve been put through that battery of tests, you’re guaranteed that both we and the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas. We never used words to butter you up. No one knows that better than you. And God knows we never used words as a smoke screen to take advantage of you.
6-8 Even though we had some standing as Christ’s apostles, we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else. We weren’t standoffish with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children. We loved you dearly. Not content to just pass on the Message, we wanted to give you our hearts. And we did.
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Good News Translation (GNT) 
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson