EasyEnglish Bible 2018
1 Thessalonians 2:5
5When we came to you, we spoke what was true. We did not just say nice things to make you feel good. You yourselves know that. We did not try to make you give things to us. We never had a secret purpose like that. God knows that this is true.
1 Thessalonians 2:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
- New International Version (NIV)You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness.
Context of 1 Thessalonians 2:5
3When we tell people to obey God's message, we are not saying anything that is not true. We do not have a wrong purpose. We are not trying to deceive anyone. 4Instead, we say what God wants us to say. He has chosen us to tell his good news to people. So we do not do it to make people happy. We do it to make God happy. He is the one who knows what we are really like. When we came to you, we spoke what was true. We did not just say nice things to make you feel good. You yourselves know that. We did not try to make you give things to us. We never had a secret purpose like that. God knows that this is true. 6We did not want anyone to say that we are great people. We did not want you to do that, or anyone else. 7We could have used our authority over you, because we are Christ's apostles. But instead, we chose to be kind to you and to help you. We took care of you, like a mother takes care of her little children.
Read all of 1 Thessalonians 21 Thessalonians 2:5 word by word
οὔτε γάρ ποτε ἐν λόγῳ κολακείας ἐγενήθημεν, καθὼς οἴδατε, οὔτε ἐν προφάσει πλεονεξίας, θεὸς μάρτυς,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- neitherοὔτεoute · neitherG3777
- at any timeποτέpote · once/whenG4218
- used weγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- flatteringκολακείαkolakeia · flatteryG2850
- wordsλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
- ye knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- a clokeπρόφασιςprophasis · pretenseG4392
- of covetousnessπλεονεξίαpleonexia · greedinessG4124
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- witnessμάρτυςmartus · witnessG3144
Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 2:5
- Job 17:5People may turn against their friends to get things for themselves. If they do that, their children should become blind.
- Job 32:21I will be fair in what I say. I will not give honour to anyone to get their help.
- Psalms 12:2Everybody tells lies to one another. When they say nice things, they do it to deceive their friends.
- Proverbs 20:19Keep away from people who talk too much. They will tell everybody about your secrets.
- Proverbs 26:28If you tell lies, it shows that you hate other people. If you deceive people with sweet words, you will destroy them.
- Proverbs 28:23If you warn someone that he has done a wrong thing, he will thank you in the end. He will like you more than if you only say sweet words to him.
- Isaiah 30:10They say to the seers, ‘Do not see any more visions!’ They say to the prophets, ‘Do not tell us messages about what is right! Tell us nice things, even if they are not true.
- Matthew 22:16So the Pharisees sent their own disciples to Jesus. They also sent people who were friends of King Herod. They said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, we know that you only say true things. You teach us what God wants us to do. It does not matter to you what other people think. If someone is important, you do not change your answers to make them happy.
- 2 Peter 2:18The messages that these teachers speak seem very important. But their words really mean nothing. In that way, they lead people away from God. Some people have not been believers for very long. They have only just become free from the wrong things that people do. But the false teachers tell these people to do bad things that will make them happy.
- Isaiah 56:11They are like dogs who are always hungry. They eat a lot but they never have enough. They are like shepherds who do not understand what to do. They do whatever they want to do, so that it will help them get what they want.
- Jeremiah 6:13‘They all cheat other people to get what they want. Important people and ordinary people do that. Prophets and priests do that. They love to deceive people.
- Jeremiah 8:10I will give their wives to other men. Their fields will belong to other men. They all cheat other people to get what they want. Important people and ordinary people do that. Prophets and priests do that. They love to deceive people.
- Micah 3:5The Lord says this: ‘It will be very bad for the prophets who tell false messages. They lead my people the wrong way with false promises. If people give food to them, then they are happy. So they promise that there will be no war. But, if people do not feed them, they become angry. They promise that war will come.
- Malachi 1:10‘It would be better if one of you shut the temple doors! Then you would not be able to offer useless sacrifices on my altar. I am not happy with you. I will not accept any more gifts from you.’ That is what the Lord Almighty says.
- Matthew 23:14[It will be very bad for you, teachers of God's Law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites! You take things away from women after their husbands have died. You pray for a long time so that other people will praise you. God will punish you much more than other people.]
- Acts 20:33When I stayed among you, I did not ask you to give me money or clothes.
Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 2:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Flattering words - Though we proclaimed the Gospel or glad tidings, yet we showed that without holiness none should see the Lord. Ye know - That while we preached the whole Gospel we never gave any countenance to sin. For a cloak of covetousness - We did not seek temporal emolument; nor did we preach the Gospel for a cloak to our covetousness: God is witness that we did not; we sought you, not yours. Hear this, ye that preach the Gospel! Can ye call God…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5For neither at any time used we flattering words - see the Job 31:21-22 notes; and on 2 Corinthians 2:17 note. The word here rendered “flattering” - ́ kolakeias- occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The meaning is, that the apostle did not deal in the language of adulation; he did not praise them for their beauty, wealth, talent, or accomplishments, and conceal from them the painful truths about their guilt and danger. He stated simple truth - not…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Flattery was often used to gain money from others. Paul denies flattering the Thessalonians to receive money. He calls both the Thessalonians and God as witnesses (see 2:10; Deuteronomy 19:15; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. used we flattering words--literally, "become (that is, have we been found) in (the use of) language of flattery"; the resource of those who try to "please men." as ye know--"Ye know" as to whether I flattered you; as to "covetousness," God, the Judge of the heart, alone can be "my witness." cloak of--that is, any specious guise under which I might cloak "covetousness."Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 2:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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