1 Thessalonians 2:7

Contextual Overview

⁷As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.⁷ Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, ⁷ But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.⁷But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. ⁷Instead, we rode through your herd like little kids at their first branding. We cared for y'all with the gusto of a protective stud watching over his mares and foals. ⁷ But we were gentle among you, like a woman caring for her little ones: ⁷ but have been gentle in the midst of you, as a nurse would cherish her own children. ⁷ 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. ⁷ But we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherishes her own children. ⁷ But we were gentle in the midst of you, even as a nurse cherisheth her own children.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

we: Genesis 33:13, Genesis 33:14, Isaiah 40:11, Ezekiel 34:14-16, Matthew 11:29, Matthew 11:30, John 21:15-17, 1 Corinthians 2:3, 1 Corinthians 9:22, 2 Corinthians 10:1, 2 Corinthians 13:4, Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23, 2 Timothy 2:24, 2 Timothy 2:25, James 3:17

as: 1 Thessalonians 2:11, Numbers 11:12, Isaiah 49:23, Isaiah 66:13, Acts 13:18, *marg.

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:12 - according to their families Numbers 12:3 - very Psalms 131:1 - my heart 1 Corinthians 4:21 - and 1 Thessalonians 1:10 - wait 1 Thessalonians 5:14 - comfort Titus 3:2 - gentle

Cross-References

Genesis 2:14
The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
And the name of the third river is Tigris; it is the one that went east of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
The name of the third river is Tigris; it flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
The name of ye thirde ryuer is Hidekel, & it goeth toward the east side of Assiria: & the fourth ryuer is Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
The name of the third river was Tigris. This river flowed east of Assyria. The fourth river was the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
And the name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
forsothe the name of the thridde ryuer is Tigris, thilke goith ayens Assiriens; sotheli the fourthe ryuer is thilke Eufrates.

Genesis 2:14
And the name of the third riuer is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the East of Assyria: and the fourth riuer is Euphrates.

Genesis 2:14
And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But we were gentle among you,.... Meek and humble, mild and moderate; not using severity, or carrying it in a haughty imperious manner; assuming power and dominion, lording it over God's heritage, and commanding persons to do homage and honour to them, and forcing themselves upon them, and obliging them to maintain them. The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, instead of "gentle", read, "little children"; as the word signifies, by adding a letter to it, and expresses much the same as the other, that they were harmless and modest, and disinterested; and sought not themselves neither honour nor wealth, but the real good of others, and were kind and tender, and affectionate to them:

even as a nurse cherisheth her children: or "the children of her own self"; her own children, and so designs a nursing mother, one whose the children are, has bore them as well as nurses them, and therefore has the most tender concern for them; she lays them in her bosom, and hugs them in her arms, and so warms and cherishes them; gives them the breast, bears with their frowardness, condescends to do the meanest things for them; and that without any self-interest, from a pure parental affection for them: and such were the apostles to these Thessalonians; they were their spiritual parents, of whom they travailed in birth, till Christ was formed in them; they used them with the greatest kindness and tenderness; they fed them with the sincere milk of the word; they bore patiently all the slighting and ill treatment they met with; and condescended to men of low estates, and did them all the good offices they could, without any selfish views or sinister ends: a like simile is used by the Jews e, who say,

"he that rises in the night to study in the law, the law makes known to him his offences; and not in a way of judgment, but כאמא, as a mother makes known to her son, "with gentle words":''

but the ministration of the Gospel is much more gentle.

e Zohar in Lev. fol. 10. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 7. But 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 ηπιοι, gentle, many MSS., and several versions and fathers, have νηπιοι, young children. But this never can be considered the original reading, the scope of the place being totally opposed to it. It is the Thessalonians whom the apostle considers as young children, and himself and fellow labourers as the nurse; he could with no propriety say that he was among them as a little child, while himself professed to be their nurse.