New Living Translation
1 Thessalonians 2:4
4For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
- New International Version (NIV)On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.
Context of 1 Thessalonians 2:4
2You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. 3So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery. For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. 5Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! 6As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else.
Read all of 1 Thessalonians 21 Thessalonians 2:4 word by word
ἀλλὰ καθὼς δεδοκιμάσμεθα ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ πιστευθῆναι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, οὕτως λαλοῦμεν, οὐχ ὡς ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκοντες ἀλλὰ θεῷ τῷ δοκιμάζοντι τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butἀλλάalla · butG235
- asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
- we were allowedδοκιμάζωdokimazō · to testG1381
- ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- to be put in trust withπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- the gospelεὐαγγέλιονeuaggelion · gospelG2098
- even soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- we speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- notοὐou · noG3756
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- pleasingἀρέσκωareskō · to pleaseG700
- menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- heartsκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 2:4
- 1 Corinthians 7:25Now regarding your question about the young women who are not yet married. I do not have a command from the Lord for them. But the Lord in his mercy has given me wisdom that can be trusted, and I will share it with you.
- Ephesians 3:8Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.
- 1 Timothy 1:11that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.
- Luke 12:42And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.
- Luke 16:11And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?
- 1 Corinthians 4:1So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries.
- 1 Corinthians 9:17If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust.
- Galatians 2:7Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews.
- 1 Timothy 6:20Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge.
- 2 Timothy 1:14Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.
- 2 Timothy 2:2You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
- 1 Corinthians 2:4And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.
- 2 Corinthians 4:2We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
- 2 Corinthians 5:11Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.
- Galatians 1:10Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
- Ephesians 6:6Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.
Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4But as we were allowed of God - · As we were accounted worthy to be put in trust - as God put confidence in us, and sent us on his most especial message to mankind, even so we speak, keeping the dignity of our high calling continually in view; and, acting as in the sight of God, we speak not to please or flatter men, though our doctrine is the most consolatory that can be conceived, but to please that God who searcheth the heart, and before whom all our…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel - Compare 1 Timothy 1:11-12. Since there had been committed to us an office so high and holy, and so much demanding sincerity, fidelity, and honesty, we endeavored to act in all respects in conformity to the trust reposed in us. The gospel is a system of truth and sincerity, and we evinced the same. The gospel is concerned with great realities, and we did not resort to trick and illusion…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4In the ancient world, people in public office were publicly tested and approved for their work. The Thessalonians and God served as two witnesses to the purity of Paul’s motives. (2:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. as--according as; even as. allowed--Greek, "We have been approved on trial," "deemed fit." This word corresponds to "God which trieth our hearts" below. This approval as to sincerity depends solely on the grace and mercy of God (Ac 9:15; 1Co 7:25; 2Co 3:5; 1Ti 1:11, 12). not as pleasing--not as persons who seek to please men; characteristic of false teachers (Ga 1:10).Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 2:4
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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