English Standard Version
1 Thessalonians 2:8
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.
1 Thessalonians 2:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
- New International Version (NIV)so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.
- New Living Translation (NLT)We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.
Context of 1 Thessalonians 2:8
6Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, 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. 10You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers.
Read all of 1 Thessalonians 21 Thessalonians 2:8 word by word
οὕτως ὁμειρόμενοι ὑμῶν εὐδοκοῦμεν μεταδοῦναι ὑμῖν οὐ μόνον τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχάς, διότι ἀγαπητοὶ ἡμῖν ἐγενήθητε.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- being affectionately desirousἱμείρωhimeiromai · to desireG2442
- of youσύsu · youG4771
- we were willingεὐδοκέωeudokeō · to delightG2106
- to have impartedμεταδίδωμιmetadidōmi · to shareG3330
- notοὐou · noG3756
- the gospelεὐαγγέλιονeuaggelion · gospelG2098
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- onlyμόνονmonon · onlyG3440
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
- our ownἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- soulsψυχήpsuchē · soul: lifeG5590
- becauseδιότιdioti · becauseG1360
- ye wereγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- dearἀγαπητόςagapētos · belovedG27
- unto usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 2:8
- Jeremiah 13:15Hear and give ear; be not proud, for the Lord has spoken.
- Romans 1:11For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—
- Romans 9:1I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—
- Romans 10:1Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
- Romans 15:29I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 6:1Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
- Galatians 4:19my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!
- Philippians 1:8For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 2:25I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,
- Colossians 1:28Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
- Colossians 4:12Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
- Hebrews 13:17Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
- Acts 20:23except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.
- 2 Corinthians 12:15I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
- Philippians 2:17Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
- 1 John 3:16By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 2:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Being affectionately desirous of you - We had such intense love for you that we were not only willing and forward to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ to you, but also to give our own lives for your sake, because ye were dear, ̔, because ye were beloved by us. The words used here by the apostle are expressive of the strongest affection and attachment.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8So, being affectionately desirous of you - The word here rendered “being affectionately desirous” - ̔ homeiromenoi- occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means to “long after, to have a strong affection for.” The sense here is, that Paul was so strongly attached to them that he would have been willing to lay down his life for them. We were willing to have imparted unto you - To have given or communicated; Romans 1:11. Not the gospel of God only…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. 1-20The letter begins by discussing the character of Paul and his associates, as well as how the Thessalonians accepted the good news (2:1–12; 13–16). It emphasizes Paul’s genuine care for the church, mentioning: his efforts to visit them again (2:17–20), and his choice to send Timothy when he could not go himself (3:1–5). It concludes with the apostle Paul’s happiness about Timothy’s positive report and his prayers to return to the church (3:6–9; 10–13)…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. So--to be joined to "we were willing"; "As a nurse cherisheth ... so we were willing," &c. [Alford]. But Bengel, "So," that is, seeing that we have such affection for you. being affectionately desirous--The oldest reading in the Greek implies, literally, to connect one's self with another; to be closely attached to another. willing--The Greek is stronger, "we were well content"; "we would gladly have imparted," &c. "even our own lives" (so the Greek…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 2:8
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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