1 Thessalonians 2:7 Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children,

◄ 1 Thessalonians 2:7 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children,

English Standard Version
But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.

New American Standard Bible
But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.

King James Bible
But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Although we could have been a burden as Christ's apostles, instead we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother nurtures her own children.

International Standard Version
even though as apostles of the Messiah we might have made such demands. Instead, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother tenderly caring for her own children.

American Standard Version
But we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own children:

Douay-Rheims Bible
Whereas we might have been burdensome to you, as the apostles of Christ: but we became little ones in the midst of you, as if a nurse should cherish her children:

Darby Bible Translation
but have been gentle in the midst of you, as a nurse would cherish her own children.

Young's Literal Translation
But we became gentle in your midst, as a nurse may cherish her own children,

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

2:7-12 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 called with such a high and holy calling. Our great business is to honour, serve, and please God, and to seek to be worthy of him.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

7. 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 the same sentence, compare himself both to the "infants" or "little children," and to "a nurse," or rather, "suckling mother." Gentleness is the fitting characteristic of a nurse.

among you—Greek, "in the midst of you," that is, in our intercourse with you being as one of yourselves.

nurse—a suckling mother.

her—Greek, "her own children" (compare 1Th 2:11). So Ga 4:19.