Tree of Life Version
1 Thessalonians 2:7
7even though we could have thrown our weight around as emissaries of Messiah. Rather, we proved to be infants among you. Like a nursing mother cherishes her 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,
- 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.
Context of 1 Thessalonians 2:7
5For as you know and God is witness, we never came with a word of flattery or a motive of greed— 6or seeking glory from people, whether from you or from others, even though we could have thrown our weight around as emissaries of Messiah. Rather, we proved to be infants among you. Like a nursing mother cherishes her children, 8in this way we were yearning for you. We were delighted to share with you not only the Good News of God but also our very souls, because you had become dear to us. 9For you recall, brothers and sisters, our labor and hardship—working night and day, so as not to burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the Good News 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 33:13He continued, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and the cattle in my care are nursing. So if they were pushed hard just one day, all the flocks would die.
- Isaiah 40:11Like a shepherd, He tends His flock. He gathers the lambs in His arms carries them in his bosom, and gently guides nursing ewes.
- Ezekiel 34:14I will shepherd them in a good pasture—their grazing place will be on the high mountains of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground. 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 breakfast, Yeshua said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs!”
- 1 Corinthians 2:3I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.
- 1 Corinthians 9:22To the weak I became weak, so that I might win over the weak. I have become all things to all men, so that by all means possible I might save some.
- 2 Corinthians 10:1Now I, Paul, appeal myself to you by the meekness and gentleness of Messiah—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when far away.
- 2 Corinthians 13:4For He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we shall live with Him by God’s power toward you.
- Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Ruach is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- 2 Timothy 2:24The Lord’s slave must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, tolerant.
- James 3:17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, not hypocritical.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:11For you know how, as a father with his own children,
- Numbers 11:12Did I conceive all these people, or did I give birth to them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom just as the nurse carries an infant’—to the land You promised to their fathers?
- Isaiah 49:23Kings will be your guardians, their princesses your nurses. They will bow down to you with their face to the ground, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am Adonai— those hoping in Me will not be ashamed.”
- Isaiah 66:13As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you, so you will 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
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