1 Thessalonians 2:1–12: Interpretation, Application, and Prayer

In this article, I will first interpret 1 Thessalonians 1:2–10, including discerning the main point and providing an outline of the passage. Then I will show how the passage can be applied to modern Christians, while concluding with a prayer that is based on the passage.

1 Thessalonians 2:1–12

“¹For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. ²But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. ³For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, ⁴but 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. ⁵For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. ⁶Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. ⁷But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. ⁸So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. ⁹For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. ¹¹For you know how, like a father with his children, ¹²we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”
1 Thessalonians 2:1–12

Interpretation of 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12

Topic and Main Point

The topic of 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12 is Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s “coming” to the Thessalonians. More specifically, the topic is how Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy conducted themselves toward the Thessalonians when in Thessalonica. The topic of 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12 is slightly more difficult to identify than it was in the previous passage (1:2–10). However, it is still possible to discern in two ways. First, in verse 1, Paul writes about “our coming to you.” In the New Testament letters (Romans–Revelation), the topic can frequently (but not always) be discerned in the first verse or two of a passage. Second, everything in 2:1–12 is about the conduct and work of Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy while in Thessalonica. This will become clear throughout this study.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12, the apostles change topics from giving thanks to discussing their time in Thessalonica. 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12 is an interlude or an aside. We know 2:1–12 is an interlude because the topic of thanksgiving is picked back up in 2:13 when Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy write “And we also thank God constantly . . . ,” which echoes the language of 1:2. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy have put their main line of thought on hold to discuss the “reception we had among you” that was first mentioned in 1:9. Although not as easy to see in the current English translations of 1 Thessalonians, the phrase “reception we had among you” in 1:9 and the phrase “our coming to you” in 2:1 use an identical phrase in the original Greek: εἴσοδον πρὸς ὑμᾶς (“coming to you”). What is happening, then, is that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy have decided to expand upon their reception/coming to the Thessalonians that was first mentioned in 1:9.

The main point of 2:1–12 is found by summarising Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s three points in 2:1–12: our (Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy) coming to you (the Thessalonians) had a worthwhile purpose (v 1–2), had a trustworthy message (v 3–4), and was for your benefit and betterment (v 5–12). If we were to put the main point into the third person, we would say “Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy came to the Thessalonians with a worthwhile purpose (v 1–2), with a trustworthy message (v 3–4), and for the benefit and betterment of the Thessalonians (v 5–12).

There is a grammatical clue in verses 1–12 that alerts us to Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s three points, which will help us correctly interpret the passage. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy employ a strong contrastive “but” at the beginning of verses 2, 4, and 7. Prior to each “but,” something negative or false is stated, followed by something positive or true. The three uses of “but” help us identify the three points of the passage. Unfortunately, not every English version includes the term at the beginning of each verse or uses the same term consistently. Let’s look at various English translations:

“On the contrary” (v 2); “Instead” (v 4); “instead” (middle of v 7; CSB)
“But” (v 2); “but” (v 4); “But” (v 7; ESV)
“But” (v 2); “But” (v 4); “But” (v 7; KJV)
“but” (v 2); “but” (v 4); “But” (v 7; NASB)
“But” (v 2); “but” (v 4); “instead” (middle of v 7; NET)
“but” (middle of v 2); “On the contrary” (v 4); “Instead” (v 7; NIV)
“But” (v 2); “but” (v 4); “But” (middle of v 7; NRSV)

As can be seen, the above English translations all employ a contrastive term, such as “but,” “instead,” or “on the contrary.” Unfortunately, translations such the CSB, NET, and the NIV employ different English terms when the original Greek term is the same all three times, indicating the three points. Thus, although no translation is wrong, some translations help their readers identify the three points better through their translation choices. Personally, I prefer the translation “rather” for each “but” because it highlights the contrasting nature a little more, making it easier to identify.

Now that the three contrastive terms have been identified, we can easily discern the verses that contain the three points of the passage:

Point 1: verses 1–2 (note the negative in verse 1 and the positive in verse 2).
Point 2: verses 3–4 (note the negative in verse 3 and the positive in verse 4).
Point 3: verses 5–12 (note the negative in verses 5–6 and the positive in verses 7–8. Verses 9–12 elaborate on verses 7–8, something we will discuss below).

1 Thessalonians 2:1–2

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s first point is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:1–2 and begins with a negative clause. The negative clause is “you know, brothers, that our coming to was not in vain” (v 1). The presence of “not” indicates that this is a grammatically negative clause. It does not necessarily indicate that the content is bad. For example, it is a good thing that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s coming to the Thessalonians was not in vain.

The positive clause is “But . . . we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict” (v 2). The clause “though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know” is a subordinate clause to “But . . . we had boldness . . . .”

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s point is that their coming to the Thessalonians was purposeful and worthwhile because they declared the gospel to the Thessalonians. Notice that I turned the negative clause in verse 1 into a positive clause and that verse 2 is Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy offering proof that their visit was not in vain.

1 Thessalonians 2:3–4

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s second point is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:3–4 and also begins with a negative clause. The negative clause is the entirety of verse 3: “For our appeal [or “exhortation”] does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive.” The presence of “not” indicates that this is a grammatically negative clause.

The positive clause is “we speak, not to please man, but to please God” (v 4). That which comes before and after “we speak . . . God” are subordinate to it, giving more information about Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s speaking for the purpose of pleasing God.

The topic is Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s “appeal” (some translations have “exhortation”) that is mentioned in verse 3. We know it is the topic because the three prepositional phrases in verse 3 modify the appeal/exhortation, telling the reader what it is not, but also because verse 4 is about Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy speaking, something that is directly related to the “appeal” mentioned in verse 3. In short, the topic of appeal/exhortation never changes throughout the two verses.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy are referring to their preaching of the gospel where they “appeal” to people or “exhort” people to respond positively (i.e., repent of sins, believe in Jesus, receive salvation, etc.). This understanding of what Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy are referring to when they use the term “appeal” helps us conclude that the speaking in verse 4 is also referring to Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s preaching of the gospel. We know that the appeal and speaking in verses 3–4 are related to the declaration of the gospel because the gospel is the only speaking/exhorting that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy have mentioned so far in the letter (1 Thess 1:5; 2:2). This understanding also aligns well with verses 1–2, which are about Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy declaring the gospel.

In the negative clause of verse 3, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy make three claims about what their preaching of the gospel is not. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s “appeal” (proclamation of the gospel) is not . . .

From error. That is, their message does not have its source in any error, resulting in that it is 100% true and accurate. This claim should not surprise us because all three men are declared “apostles of Christ” (2:6).
From impurity. There are two possibilities regarding the meaning of impurity (some translations have “uncleanness”).
- (A) Their message does not have its source in any impure motives (i.e., Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s desire is pure; it is to see people come to salvation, not to make money or become influential/powerful).
- (B) Their message does not have its source in anything that would make a person cultically or ritually unclean/impure. When you come across an unusual word such as “impure” or “unclean,” it is good practice to look up the word in a concordance to see where and how it is used throughout the Bible. To be considered “unclean” in the Old Testament resulted in a person being at odds with God and God’s wrath coming upon that person (see Lev 7:19-21 for one example). Thus, a person who is unclean (sometimes objects could be unclean, such as the Tabernacle) needs to make atonement in order to be reconciled to God and to maintain peace between the two parties. The necessity for atonement because of uncleanness is best illustrated in the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) in Leviticus 16 (see especially Lev 16:15-19).^[1] Thus, the apostles may be saying that their message does not have its source in anything that would cause a person to be at odds with God, resulting in his wrath coming upon that person. To the contrary, the gospel that the apostles preach reconciles people to God, doing away with any uncleanness.
With deceit. That is, their message is not accompanied by deceit or the intention to deceive in any way. In other words, what Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy say is what they mean; their “yes” means “yes” and their “no” means “no.”

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy then contrast what their appeal is not with a positive aspect of their appeal that counters the three “nots” in verse 3. The positive aspect of Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s speaking is that it is for the purpose of pleasing God (v 4). The preposition “to” indicates purpose. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s speaking is not for the purpose of pleasing people (“not to please people”), but for the purpose of pleasing God (“to please God”). For Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s appeal/speaking to please God, it cannot be mingled with error, stem from anything impure or unclean, and cannot be accompanied with the intent to deceive in any way. Thus, one can conclude that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s appeal/speaking is trustworthy. The other reason we can trust the appeal/speaking of Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy is because they have been tested and approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel (v 4). Because God has tested and approved their message and their hearts, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, along with their message, can be trusted. They are trustworthy people bringing a trustworthy message.

We, thus, conclude that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s point is that the message (i.e., the gospel message, including the exhortation to believe it) they proclaimed to the Thessalonians is true and trustworthy.

1 Thessalonians 2:5–12

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s third point is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:5–12 and also begins with a negative clause. The negative clause is verses 5–6. The continuous presence of words such as “never,” “nor,” and “not” is a key indicator that verses 5–6 is the negative clause. The final clause of verse 6 (which is the beginning of verse 7 in some Bible versions, such as the NET) is an aside: “though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.”

The positive clause is found in verses 7–8. Both verses are related to being a “nursing mother.” Verses 9–12 expand upon verses 7–8.

1 Thessalonians 2:5–8

The topic of 1 Thessalonians 2:5–8 is the manner in which Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy came to the Thessalonians. The manner in which they came to the Thessalonians is highlighted in the three negative statements and two positive statements. Let’s look at these.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy . . .

did not come with flattering speech (v 5a).
did not come with a pretext for greed (seeking to satisfy their greed) (v 5b).
did not come seeking glory from the Thessalonians or anyone else (v 6).
did come in a gentle manner like a nursing mother who takes care of her children (v 7).
did come sharing both the gospel and their own lives, like a nursing mother (v 8)

Each of the five statements above focus on the how (or the manner) of their coming. In case there is any ambiguity, however, the two positive statements in verses 7–8 are clearly about how Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy came to the Thessalonians (i.e., the manner in which they came).

NOTE: It is possible that your translation has the words “little children” in verse 7 instead of “gentle” (see Bible versions such as NET, NIV, and NLT). I cover this translation difference in the section below. Please see the discussion there regarding what gave rise to the different translations and why I believe “gentle” is the correct translation.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s point is that they came to the Thessalonians with gentleness, sharing both the gospel and their entire lives with the Thessalonians for the Thessalonians’ benefit and betterment. Another way we could say this is that they came ready to sacrifice their entire lives for the Thessalonians; they came sacrificially. This answer comes mainly from the positive statements in verses 7–8, but notice how the negative statements complement the positive and support our understanding of it. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy did not come seeking their own gain (greed) or glory, rather they sought the advancement and the betterment of the Thessalonians. They did not even flatter the Thessalonians to be accepted by them; rather, they shared the gospel, the truth, which frequently is not well accepted. In short, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy came to the Thessalonians for the Thessalonians’ benefit and betterment, ready to give their lives and all they had for the Thessalonians.

“Gentle” or “Children”? Which Translation of 1 Thessalonians 2:7 is Correct?

Depending on your translation, 1 Thessalonians 2:7 may say something like “we were gentle among you” (CSB, ESV, KJV, NASB, NRSV) or something like “we became little children among you” (NET, NIV, NLT). So, why the drastic difference in translation? Which translation is correct? “Gentle” or “little children”?

Let’s tackle the difference in translation first, before attempting to determine which translation is correct. The difference in translation arises from some manuscripts having the Greek word for “gentle” or “kind” (ἤπιοι; ēpioi,) and some having the Greek word for “little children” or “infants” (νήπιοι; nēpioi). As you can tell, there is only one letter difference between the two Greek words. “Gentle” is missing an “n” of which “little children” has. One likely explanation for the presence or absence of the “n” is that the word before [n]ēpioi ends with an “n.” Thus, the copyist, who is either listening to the letter being read out loud or who is looking at the letter in order to copy it, may have accidentally left off the “n” or added the “n,” depending on what he heard or saw (it’s easy to skip letters when there are two of the same in a row).

So, which word is correct? “Gentle” or “little children”? The decision is not easy as evidenced by some English translations adopting “gentle” and others adopting “little children.” There are two broad factors to consider when choosing the most likely word. First, from where do the manuscripts come and to when do they date? Some translations, like the NET, believe “little children” has the best manuscript support: “The variant ἤπιοι (ēpioi, “gentle”) has fair support . . . , but νήπιοι (nēpioi, “little children”) has significantly stronger backing . . .” (NET, 1 Thessalonians note 10).

The second factor to consider when making a decision is the literary context. Which word makes the most sense in the passage? Some scholars have argued that the more difficult or awkward word/variant is usually correct because scribes were more prone to smooth out a text when something didn’t “seem right.” However, this is not always the case. Let’s look at the context of 1 Thessalonians 1:7 to determine whether “gentle” or “little children” makes the most sense.

In verses 5–7, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy contrast being gentle/little children with flattering speech, the motivation for greed, and seeking glory from others. In my opinion, “little children” (that is, infants or very young children) are frequently only concerned with themselves and are thus greedy and want all the attention. It would be odd for the apostles to compare themselves to very young children at this point in the letter because it seems counterproductive.

The presence of “little children” makes even less sense when one considers the apostles’ analogy with mothers and fathers in verses 7–12. Directly after saying they became little children, the apostles say they were like a nursing mother who cares for her children and they share their lives with the Thessalonians (“children” here is a different Greek word and can refer to children of any age). The analogy with little children and the analogy with mothers seem opposite and contradictory. Little children take; they do not give and share their lives as the apostles did. Further, the apostles complete the passage with an analogy to fathers, whose function is opposite that of little children. As the apostles say in verses 11–12, fathers teach; whereas little children are taught.

In sum, because “little children” seems to be counter Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s point, which is that they sacrificed and gave of themselves for the Thessalonians’ benefit, the choice of “gentle,” with verses 7–12 explaining what the apostles mean by “gentle” is preferred.

1 Thessalonians 2:9–12

The function of verses 9–12 is to support Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s claim that they shared their lives for the benefit and betterment of the Thessalonians (i.e., to support verses 7–8). This support function is evident in three ways. First, the content of the passage is proving that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy constantly gave of themselves for the Thessalonians’ benefit and never took from them. Second, this section begins with “for you remember,” which suggests they are reminding the Thessalonians of all they did that supports their claim in verses 7–8. Third, this section ends with another parental analogy, forming an inclusio. Verse 7 speaks of how Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy were like a mother to the Thessalonians and verses 11–12 speak of how they were like a father to the Thessalonians. In short, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy played the role of parents for the Thessalonians.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy give two supporting points that they shared their lives for the benefit of the Thessalonians and did not take anything for their own personal gain. The first supporting point is that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy preached the gospel of God to the Thessalonians while working night and day so as to not financially burden the Thessalonians (v 9). We know that the general topic is Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s work (their “labor and toil”) because the apostles ask the Thessalonians to remember their labour and toil. The following sentence (or clause, depending on one’s translation) then states what it is about their labour and toil Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy want the Thessalonians to remember: they preached the gospel free of charge by working hard day and night to support themselves. Preaching the gospel while not taking the Thessalonians’ money, even when they had the right, is strong evidence that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy shared their lives for the benefit of the Thessalonians.

The second supporting point is that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s conduct toward the Thessalonians (“you believers”) was “holy and righteous and blameless” (v 10). We know this is the second supporting point because the topic is different from the first supporting point. The first point was about labour and toil, whereas the second point is about conduct (not every version uses the term “conduct,” but the idea is present).

Verses 11–12 support and prove that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy were holy, righteous, and blameless toward the Thessalonians. First, verse 11 begins with “for you know” or “as you know,” which is a common phrase in 1 Thessalonians that indicates supporting evidence (we saw this in 2:9).

Second, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy make an analogy with fatherhood that proves they were holy, righteous, and blameless toward the Thessalonians. The apostles acted like a father (v 11) in that they taught the Thessalonians how to live rightly (v 12). As a father exhorts and encourages his children, so the apostles exhorted and encouraged the Thessalonians to live in a manner worthy of God (v 12). Had Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy exhorted the Thessalonians to anything else, they would not have been holy, righteous, or blameless toward the Thessalonians; instead, they would have been selfish and greedy, simply trying to please the Thessalonians (being man-pleasers, not God-pleasers). Teaching the Thessalonians how to live rightly before God is for the benefit of the Thessalonians. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy sacrificed like a father would sacrifice to ensure the Thessalonians obtained that benefit.

Summary of 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s coming to the Thessalonians was purposeful in that they proclaimed the gospel of God, was trustworthy in that what they preached was true for the purpose of pleasing God not man, and was accompanied with gentleness and a sharing of their lives for the benefit and betterment of the Thessalonians, just like a mother and father give their lives for the betterment of their children.

Another helpful way of summarizing a passage is by producing an outline. An outline can help you remember the main points and the argument of a passage at a glance and is a useful tool for teaching a passage.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy came to the Thessalonians

A. With a worthwhile purpose (v 1-2)

1. Their coming was not in vain (v 1)

2. Rather, their coming was for the purpose of declaring the gospel of God to the Thessalonians (v 2)

B. With a trustworthy message (v 3-4)

1. Their appeal did not come from error, impurity, or deceit (v 3)

2. Rather, they speak for the purpose of pleasing God (v 4)

C. For the Thessalonians’ benefit (v 5-12)

1. They did not come (v 5-6)

a. With flattering speech (v 5)

b. With a pretext for greed (v 5)

c. Seeking glory from people (v 6)

2. Rather, they were gentle among the Thessalonians and shared their lives with the Thessalonians (v 7-12)

a. Like a mother who takes care of and shares her life with her children for their benefit (v 7-9)

b. Like a father who teaches his children how to live rightly for their betterment (v 10-12)

Application of 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12 to Modern Christians

1 Thessalonians 2:1–12 is a unique passage in the New Testament letters because it is Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s recollection of a visit, specifically to the Thessalonians. There are no instructions and no mention of the Thessalonians’ conduct or response like there was in chapter 1.

Because 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12 describes the ministry of apostles of Christ and we are not apostles of Christ, we need to exercise caution in applying this passage to modern Christians. For example, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy were essentially missionaries to the city of Thessalonica and dedicated their entire lives to spreading the gospel, making converts, and training those converts in the ways of Jesus. They shared their entire lives with the Thessalonians in the way a mother and father share their lives with their own children. A parent’s finances, time, energy, and life are spent taking care of, supporting, raising, and training their children. This is how Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy went about their ministry.

As a husband and parent of four children, I am not able to give all of my finances, time, energy, and life to those to whom I minister. Much of my finances, time, energy, and life are given to my family, my wife and four children. Further, God has not called me to missionary work or to be an apostle of Christ. Thus, it would be incorrect to apply everything Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy say about how they specifically went about their evangelistic ministry to my own ministry. I suspect most of those reading this study are also not engaged in full time evangelistic ministry, are not apostles of Christ, and some would not be single with no children.

Application #1

So, how should we apply 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12 to ourselves? There are two ways to apply this passage. First, we apply the knowledge that the passage offers. This passage speaks of the trustworthiness of the gospel message that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy preached, including any appeals they make such as to believe in Jesus and live lives worthy of the gospel. To apply this, we would acknowledge the truth of Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s self-assessment and then conform our lives to the message that they preached as recorded in the New Testament, believing and knowing that it is the message from God. This entails a lot of work on our part. We need to read and study all of Paul’s letters (and those co-written by Silvanus and Timothy, such as 1 & 2 Thessalonians) and conform our lives to both the truths that he declares and the commands he issues for Christians.

Application #2

Second, we may adopt Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s overarching approach to the Thessalonians in our own ministry or whenever we minister to someone.

When we minister,

We minister with the purpose of declaring the gospel of God (v 1–2).
We minister with a trustworthy message, that has pleasing God as its goal by shunning error, impurity, and deceit (v 3–4).
We minister for the benefit and betterment of others, not seeking our own advancement or glory from people (v 5–12).

The above three principles are not only applicable when we are formally ministering to others, but also applicable in our day-to-day life. Every interaction, every conversation, every deed, every job should be for the purpose of declaring the gospel, pleasing God, and for the benefit and betterment of others, whether we are at home with our family, at our job doing paid work, or engaged in some recreational activity.

To apply 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12, we need to begin assessing both our motives behind all speech and conduct as well as the manner in which we engage conversations, people, conduct, work, etc., and then conform our motives and manner to the three principles above. I recognize that this is a tall order because many of us are not used to reflecting on our motives and actions, but that is precisely what is needed. Begin doing this and see how quickly and how much you develop in Christian character and Christlikeness.

Finally, we can have confidence in the above principles because they are echoed elsewhere in the New Testament for God’s people, such as in 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 and Ephesians 5:22-6:9.

Prayer Based on 1 Thessalonians 2:1–12

In order to pray this passage, think about with whom you spend the majority of your time. For me, I spend the majority of my time with my family, my students, and my work colleagues. Then pray and ask the Lord to conform your interactions with these people so that your speech and conduct declare the gospel, please God, and are for their betterment, not your own. Pray a prayer similar to the following.

Dear God, thank you that I have the privilege of spending lots of time with [insert name here]. Please let my interactions with [insert name here] declare the gospel. When I have the opportunity to speak the gospel, may I not shy away. When the opportunity to speak is not present, may my actions declare the gospel. Lord, help my speech and conduct with [insert name here] be borne from a genuine desire to please you, by being a trustworthy person who shuns all forms of error, impurity, and deceit. Finally, I am a selfish person, Lord. Too often I serve myself to the detriment of others. Please forgive me for my selfishness. Turn my selfishness into selflessness and help me intentionally serve [insert name here] for their benefit and betterment. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

^[1] The Greek term for impure/uncleanness (ἀκαθαρσία), which is used in 1 Thess 2:3, is the same term used in the Greek versions of the Old Testament passages cited above.