1 Thessalonians 2:7

1 Thessalonians 2:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
• New International Version (NIV)Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children,
• English Standard Version (ESV)But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

Context of 1 Thessalonians 2:7

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. 6We did not want anyone to say that we are great people. We did not want you to do that, or anyone else. We 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. 8We loved you very much, so we wanted to tell you God's good news. We wanted to share our lives with you too. 9Our Christian friends, remember how we worked so hard to help you. We worked during the day and even during the night. We did not want to cause any problems for you. So we taught you God's good news and we did not ask you to give us anything in return.

1 Thessalonians 2:7 word by word

δυνάμενοι ἐν βάρει εἶναι ὡς Χριστοῦ ἀπόστολοι· ἀλλ᾽ ἐγενήθημεν νήπιοι ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν, ὡς ἐὰν τροφὸς θάλπῃ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·μέσοςmesos · midstG3319
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butἀλλάalla · butG235
• we wereγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• gentleἤπιοςēpios · gentleG2261
• amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• youσύsu · youG4771
• evenἄνan · ifG302
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• a nurseτροφόςtrophos · nursing motherG5162
• cherishethθάλπωthalpō · to care forG2282
• herἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043

Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 2:7

• Genesis 33:13But Jacob said, ‘My lord, the children are not very strong. Many of the animals have young babies. If we go too far in one day, then all the animals will die.
• Isaiah 40:11He takes care of his people, like a shepherd who takes care of his sheep. He picks up the young lambs and he carries them near to his heart. He carefully leads the mother sheep that have lambs.
• Ezekiel 34:14I will feed them in fields on Israel's mountains where grass grows. They will lie down in the good fields. They will eat the green grass that grows on the mountains.
• Matthew 11:29Do what I teach you to do. Listen to my message and learn from me what is true. I am very kind and I do not make myself important. I will help you. Then you will have peace in your mind.
• John 21:15When they had finished eating, Jesus spoke to Simon Peter. He said, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these other disciples love me?’ Peter answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’
• 1 Corinthians 2:3I lived among you as someone who felt weak. I was very afraid.
• 1 Corinthians 9:22With weak people, I became like someone who is weak too. I did that so that I could bring weak people to believe in Christ. Whoever I am living among, I live like they do. I want to do everything that I can to save some of them.
• 2 Corinthians 10:1I, Paul, need to ask you something. Perhaps you think that I am only humble when I am present there with you. You think that I only speak strongly to you when I am far away! Now I am away from you. But I am still humble and kind, like Christ is.
• 2 Corinthians 13:4People killed Christ on the cross as a weak person. But he now lives by God's power. We are also weak as we serve Christ, like he was weak. But we live, because he now lives. So, when we come to you, we will show God's power among you.
• Galatians 5:22But God's Spirit causes us to live in a different way. We love other people. We are happy and we have peace in our minds. We are patient, kind and good. People can trust us to do what is right.
• 2 Timothy 2:24As the Lord's servant, you must not quarrel. Instead, you must be kind to everyone. You must be able to teach them well. And you must be patient when people cause you to have trouble.
• James 3:17But if God makes you really wise, you will live in a completely good way. That is the most important thing. Also, you will live in a way that brings peace. You will be kind to other people so that they become your friends. You will listen to them and not argue. You will forgive them and do many good things to help them. You will not choose between people. And you will not be a hypocrite.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:11You know that we helped you, like a father helps his own children.
• Numbers 11:12They are not my children! But you have said to me, “Take care of them like parents take care of their babies. Carry them to the land that I have promised to their ancestors.”
• Isaiah 49:23The kings of those nations will take care of your children. The kings' daughters will feed them. The rulers will bend down low in front of you, so that their faces touch the ground. They will taste the dirt by your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I will not disappoint people who wait for me to help them.
• Isaiah 66:13I will comfort you, as a mother comforts her child. As you live in Jerusalem, you will be happy again.’

Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 2:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7But we were gentle among you - Far from assuming the authority which we had, we acted towards you as a tender nurse or parent does to a delicate child. We fed, counselled, cherished, and bore with you; we taught you to walk, preserved you from stumbling, and led you in a right path. Instead of , gentle, many MSS., and several versions and fathers, have , young children. But this never can be considered the original reading, the scope of the place being…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7But we were gentle among you - Instead of using authority, we used only the most kind and gentle methods to win you and to promote your peace and order. The word here rendered “nurse,” may mean any one who nurses a child, whether a mother or another person. It seems here to refer to a mother (compare 1 Thessalonians 2:11), and the idea is, that the apostle felt for them the affectionate solicitude which a mother does for the child at her breast.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 Mildness and tenderness greatly recommend religion, and are most conformable to God's gracious dealing with sinners, in and by the gospel. This is the way to win people. We should not only be faithful to our calling as Christians, but in our particular callings and relations. Our great gospel privilege is, that God has called us to his kingdom and glory. The great gospel duty is, that we walk worthy of God. We should live as becomes those…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7we were gentle among you: Some manuscripts say we were like infants. Paul and his associates did not use their authority as apostles to make demands (see Matthew 20:25–28).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. we were--Greek, "we were made" by God's grace. gentle--Greek, "mild in bearing with the faults of others" [Tittmann]; one, too, who is gentle (though firm) in reproving the erroneous opinions of others (2Ti 2:24). Some of the oldest manuscripts read, "we became little children" (compare Mt 18:3, 4). Others support the English Version reading, which forms a better antithesis to 1Th 2:6, 7, and harmonizes better with what follows; for he would hardly, in…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 2:7

• Gentleness
• Love
• Meekness
• Minister, Christian
• Nurse
• Preaching

In the dictionaries

• Affectionately
• Bold
• Chargeable
• Cherish
• Desire
• Joy
• Gentleness
• Nurse; Nursing
• Paul, the Apostle
• Thessalonians, the First Epistle of Paul to the

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