1 Thessalonians 2:3-6,10
1 Thessalonians 2:3-8 The Message (MSG)
God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message. Be assured that when we speak to you we’re not after crowd approval—only God approval. Since we’ve been put through that battery of tests, you’re guaranteed that both we and the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas. We never used words to butter you up. No one knows that better than you. And God knows we never used words as a smoke screen to take advantage of you. Even though we had some standing as Christ’s apostles, we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else. We weren’t standoffish with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children. We loved you dearly. Not content to just pass on the Message, we wanted to give you our hearts. And we did.
1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 The Message (MSG)
You remember us in those days, friends, working our fingers to the bone, up half the night, moonlighting so you wouldn’t have the burden of supporting us while we proclaimed God’s Message to you. You saw with your own eyes how discreet and courteous we were among you, with keen sensitivity to you as fellow believers. And God knows we weren’t freeloaders! You experienced it all firsthand. With each of you we were like a father with his child, holding your hand, whispering encouragement, showing you step-by-step how to live well before God, who called us into his own kingdom, into this delightful life.
1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 King James Version (KJV)
For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: 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. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 2:10 King James Version (KJV)
Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe
1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness— nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.
1 Thessalonians 2:10 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers
1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 New Century Version (NCV)
Our appeal does not come from lies or wrong reasons, nor were we trying to trick you. But we speak the Good News because God tested us and trusted us to do it. When we speak, we are not trying to please people, but God, who tests our hearts. You know that we never tried to influence you by saying nice things about you. We were not trying to get your money; we had no selfishness to hide from you. God knows that this is true. We were not looking for human praise, from you or anyone else
1 Thessalonians 2:10 New Century Version (NCV)
When we were with you, we lived in a holy and honest way, without fault. You know this is true, and so does God.
1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 American Standard Version (ASV)
For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts. For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness; nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 2:10 American Standard Version (ASV)
Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and righteously and unblamably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe
1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 New International Version (NIV)
For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 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. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We 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.
1 Thessalonians 2:10 New International Version (NIV)
You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.
1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 New King James Version (NKJV)
For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. 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. For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.
I Thessalonians 2:10 New King James Version (NKJV)
You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe
1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 Amplified Bible (AMP)
For our appeal does not come from delusion or impure motives, nor [is it motivated] by deceit [our message is complete, accurate, and based on the truth—it does not change]. But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel [that tells the good news of salvation through faith in Christ], so we speak, not as [if we were trying] to please people [to gain power and popularity], but to please God who examines our hearts [expecting our best]. For as you well know, we never came with words of flattery nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness— nor did we seek glory and honor from people, neither from you nor from anyone else, though as apostles of Christ we had the power to assert our authority.
1 Thessalonians 2:10 Amplified Bible (AMP)
You are witnesses, and so is God, how unworldly and just and blameless was our behavior toward you who believe [in our Lord Jesus Christ].
1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 New Living Translation (NLT)
So 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. 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! As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else.
1 Thessalonians 2:10 New Living Translation (NLT)
You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers.
1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 The Passion Translation (TPT)
Our coming alongside you to encourage you was not out of some delusion, or impure motive, or an intention to mislead you, but we have been approved by God to be those who preach the gospel. So our motivation to preach is not pleasing people but pleasing God, who thoroughly examines our hearts. God is our witness that when we came to encourage you, we never once used cunning compliments as a pretext for greed, nor did we crave the praises of men, whether you or others.
1 Thessalonians 2:10 The Passion Translation (TPT)
With God as our witness you saw how we lived among you—in holiness, in godly relationships, and without fault.
1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 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. For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.