1 Thessalonians 2:3-12

Riverside(i) 3 For our appeal springs not from deception, nor from impure motives, nor from cunning, 4 but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the good news, so we speak, not as if we were pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts. 5 Nor did we ever fall into flattering talk, as you know, nor use any pretext for self-enrichment — God is witness — 6 nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or others, although we could have claimed the dignity of Christ's apostles. 7 But we became gentle in the midst of you like a nursing mother cherishing her own children. 8 Yearning over you so, we would gladly have imparted to you not only God's good news but our own lives as well, because you had become dear to us. 9 For you remember, brethren, our toil and labor as we worked night and day so as not to burden any one of you while we proclaimed to you the good news of God. 10 You are witnesses — and God is witness — how purely and justly and blamelessly we acted toward you who believe. 11 You know that just like a father toward his own children we encouraged each one of you, and warned and conjured you 12 to live lives worthy of the God who is calling you into his own kingdom and glory.