English Standard Version
1 Thessalonians 2:7
7But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.
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,
- New King James Version (NKJV)But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
- New Living Translation (NLT)As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children.
Context of 1 Thessalonians 2:7
5For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. 9For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
Read all of 1 Thessalonians 21 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 to him, "My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die.
- Isaiah 40:11He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
- Ezekiel 34:14I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel.
- Matthew 11:29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
- John 21:15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."
- 1 Corinthians 2:3And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,
- 1 Corinthians 9:22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
- 2 Corinthians 10:1I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!—
- 2 Corinthians 13:4For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.
- Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- 2 Timothy 2:24And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,
- James 3:17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:11For you know how, like a father with his children,
- Numbers 11:12Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,' to the land that you swore to give their fathers?
- Isaiah 49:23Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame."
- Isaiah 66:13As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
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
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries