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:
• 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.
• 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

5You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8so 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. 9Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.

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 to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die.
• Isaiah 40:11He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
• Ezekiel 34:14I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.
• Matthew 11:29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
• John 21:15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
• 1 Corinthians 2:3I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.
• 1 Corinthians 9:22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
• 2 Corinthians 10:1By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away!
• 2 Corinthians 13:4For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you.
• Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
• 2 Timothy 2:24And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
• James 3:17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,
• Numbers 11:12Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors?
• Isaiah 49:23Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”
• Isaiah 66:13As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over 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

• 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