1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

NLT: ¹You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not a failure. ²You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, even though we were surrounded by many who opposed us. ³So you can see that we were not preaching with any deceit or impure purposes or trickery. ⁴For we speak as messengers who have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He is the one who examines the motives of our hearts. ⁵Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you very well know. And God is our witness that we were not just pretending to be your friends so you would give us money! ⁶As for praise, we have never asked for it from you or anyone else. ⁷As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but we were as gentle among you as a mother feeding and caring for her own children. ⁸We loved you so much that we gave you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

NIV: ¹You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. ²We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. ³For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. ⁴On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. ⁵You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. ⁶We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, ⁷but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. ⁸We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.

NASB: ¹For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, ²but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. ³For our exhortation does not comeg from error or impurity or by way of deceit; ⁴but 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. ⁵For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness— ⁶nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority. ⁷But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing motherg tenderly cares for her own children. ⁸Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.

KJV: ¹For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: ²But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. ³For our exhortation wasg not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: ⁴But 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. ⁵For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God isg witness: ⁶Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yetg of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. ⁷But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: ⁸So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

Comment: Paul, when preaching the message about his encounter with the resurrected Jesus, is either lying or telling the truth. Paul claims the reason for believing him is that he has nothing to gain by preaching this message. In fact, he was willing to continue preaching even though he had been beaten in Phillipi [cf. Acts 16:22], encountered opposition there in Thessalonica, wasn't gaining financially, and wasn't gaining any prestige. In fact, he claims to be preaching the message to please God and because of his love for the Thessalonians. These are compelling reasons for believing Paul was sincere and telling the truth that he had seen and received his message from the resurrected Jesus. Liars have selfish, rather than magnanimous, reasons for their lies.