New Living Translation
1 Thessalonians 2:5
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!
1 Thessalonians 2:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
- New International Version (NIV)You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness.
Context of 1 Thessalonians 2:5
3So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery. 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. Never 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. 7As 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.
Read all of 1 Thessalonians 21 Thessalonians 2:5 word by word
οὔτε γάρ ποτε ἐν λόγῳ κολακείας ἐγενήθημεν, καθὼς οἴδατε, οὔτε ἐν προφάσει πλεονεξίας, θεὸς μάρτυς,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- neitherοὔτεoute · neitherG3777
- at any timeποτέpote · once/whenG4218
- used weγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- flatteringκολακείαkolakeia · flatteryG2850
- wordsλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
- ye knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- a clokeπρόφασιςprophasis · pretenseG4392
- of covetousnessπλεονεξίαpleonexia · greedinessG4124
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- witnessμάρτυςmartus · witnessG3144
Cross-references for 1 Thessalonians 2:5
- Job 17:5They betray their friends for their own advantage, so let their children faint with hunger.
- Job 32:21I won’t play favorites or try to flatter anyone.
- Psalms 12:2Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts.
- Proverbs 20:19A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.
- Proverbs 26:28A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin.
- Proverbs 28:23In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.
- Isaiah 30:10They tell the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” They tell the prophets, “Don’t tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies.
- Matthew 22:16They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.
- 2 Peter 2:18They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception.
- Isaiah 56:11Like greedy dogs, they are never satisfied. They are ignorant shepherds, all following their own path and intent on personal gain.
- Jeremiah 6:13“From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. From prophets to priests, they are all frauds.
- Jeremiah 8:10I will give their wives to others and their farms to strangers. From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. Yes, even my prophets and priests are like that. They are all frauds.
- Micah 3:5This is what the Lord says: “You false prophets are leading my people astray! You promise peace for those who give you food, but you declare war on those who refuse to feed you.
- Malachi 1:10“How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings.
- Acts 20:33“I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes.
Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 2:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Flattering words - Though we proclaimed the Gospel or glad tidings, yet we showed that without holiness none should see the Lord. Ye know - That while we preached the whole Gospel we never gave any countenance to sin. For a cloak of covetousness - We did not seek temporal emolument; nor did we preach the Gospel for a cloak to our covetousness: God is witness that we did not; we sought you, not yours. Hear this, ye that preach the Gospel! Can ye call God…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5For neither at any time used we flattering words - see the Job 31:21-22 notes; and on 2 Corinthians 2:17 note. The word here rendered “flattering” - ́ kolakeias- occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The meaning is, that the apostle did not deal in the language of adulation; he did not praise them for their beauty, wealth, talent, or accomplishments, and conceal from them the painful truths about their guilt and danger. He stated simple truth - not…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Flattery was often used to gain money from others. Paul denies flattering the Thessalonians to receive money. He calls both the Thessalonians and God as witnesses (see 2:10; Deuteronomy 19:15; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. used we flattering words--literally, "become (that is, have we been found) in (the use of) language of flattery"; the resource of those who try to "please men." as ye know--"Ye know" as to whether I flattered you; as to "covetousness," God, the Judge of the heart, alone can be "my witness." cloak of--that is, any specious guise under which I might cloak "covetousness."Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Thessalonians 2:5
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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