1 Thessalonians 2 · Verse 9

1 Thessalonians 2:9

For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
1 Thessalonians 2:9, King James Version

1 Thessalonians 2:9 in other translations

BSBSurely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
WEBFor you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.
ASVFor ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
YLTfor ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail, for, night and day working not to be a burden upon any of you, we did preach to you the good news of God;
DARBYFor ye remember, brethren, our labour and toil: working night and day, not to be chargeable to any one of you, we have preached to you the glad tidings of God.
BBEFor you have the memory, my brothers, of our trouble and care; how, working night and day, so that we might not be a trouble to any of you, we gave you the good news of God.
WebsterFor ye remember, brethren, our labor and toil: for laboring night and day, because we would not be chargeable to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

What does 1 Thessalonians 2:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. labour and travail--The Greek for "labor" means hardship in bearing; that for "travail," hardship in doing; the former, toil with the utmost solicitude; the latter, the being wearied with fatigue [Grotius]. Zanchius refers the former to spiritual (see 1Th 3:5), the latter to manual labor. I would translate, "weariness (so the Greek is translated, 2Co 11:27) and travail" (hard labor, toil). for--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. labouring--Greek, "working," namely, at tent-making (Ac 18:3). night and day--The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset, so that "night" is put before "day" (compare Ac 20:31). Their labors with their hands for a scanty livelihood had to be engaged in not only by day, but by night also, in the intervals between spiritual labors. because we would not be chargeable--Greek, "with a view to not burdening any of you" (2Co 11:9, 10). preached unto you--Greek, "unto and among you." Though but "three Sabbaths" are mentioned, Ac 17:2, these refer merely to the time of his preaching to the Jews in the synagogue. When rejected by them as a body, after having converted a few Jews, he turned to the Gentiles; of these (whom he preached to in a place distinct from the synagogue) "a great multitude believed" (Ac 17:4, where the oldest manuscripts read, "of the devout [proselytes] and Greeks a great multitude"); then after he had, by labors continued among the Gentiles for some time, gathered in many converts, the Jews, provoked by his success, assaulted Jason's house, and drove him away. His receiving "once and again" supplies from Philippi, implies a longer stay at Thessalonica than three weeks (Php 4:16).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 9. Ye remember, brethren, our labour. Doubtless in the occupation of a tent-maker. Acts 20:34; 1Cor 4:12.

And travail. 2Cor 11:27. The word means wearisome labour.

For labouring night and day. That is, when he was not engaged in preaching the gospel. He appears to have laboured through the week, and to have preached on the Sabbath; or, if engaged in preaching in the day time during the week, he made it up by night labour.

We preached unto you the gospel of God. That is, I supported myself when I preached among you. No one, therefore, could say, that I was disposed to live in idleness; no one that I sought to make myself rich at the expense of others.

(b) "labour and travail" Acts 20:34,35, 1Thes 3:7,8 (++) "travail" "toil"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 Ye remember - our labor and travail - From this it appears that St. Paul spent much more time at Thessalonica than is generally supposed; for the expressions in this verse denote a long continuance of a constantly exercised ministry, interrupted only by manual labor for their own support; labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable to you. Probably Paul and his companions worked with their hands by day, and spent a considerable part of the night, or evenings, in preaching Christ to the people.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12

Mildness and tenderness greatly recommend religion, and are most conformable to God's gracious dealing with sinners, in and by the gospel. This is the way to win people. We should not only be faithful to our calling as Christians, but in our particular callings and relations. Our great gospel privilege is, that God has called us to his kingdom and glory. The great gospel duty is, that we walk worthy of God. We…

Read the full comment on 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12 →

1 Thessalonians 2:9 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΜνημονεύετεMnēmoneueteYou rememberG3421
γάρ,garfor,G1063
ἀδελφοί,adelphoibrothers,G80
τὸνtontheG3588
κόπονkoponlaborG2873
ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165
καὶkaiandG2532
τὸνton<the>G3588
μόχθον·mochthonhardship:G3449
νυκτὸςnuktosBy nightG3571
καὶkaiandG2532
ἡμέραςhēmerasdayG2250
ἐργαζόμενοιergazomenoiworkingG2038
πρὸςprosin orderG4314
τὸto<the>G3588
μὴmēnotG3361
ἐπιβαρῆσαίepibarēsaito burdenG1912
τιναtinaanyoneG5100
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771
ἐκηρύξαμενekēruxamenwe proclaimedG2784
εἰςeistoG1519
ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771
τὸtotheG3588
εὐαγγέλιονeuangeliongospelG2098
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦ.theouof God.G2316

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Thessalonians 2:9

  • 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9

    For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:9

    And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

  • Acts 18:3

    And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

  • 2 Corinthians 12:13-14

    For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

  • 1 Timothy 4:10

    For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

  • Nehemiah 5:15

    But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

  • 1 Corinthians 9:15

    But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

  • Nehemiah 5:18

    Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

  • 1 Corinthians 9:6-7

    Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

  • 1 Corinthians 9:18

    What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:6

    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 Timothy 5:5

    Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
our.
1:3; Ac 18:3; 20:34,35; 1Co 4:12; 9:6,15; 2Co 6:5; 2Th 3:7-9
1Ti 4:10
night.
3:10; Ps 32:4; 88:1; Jer 9:1; Lu 2:37; 18:7; Ac 20:31; 1Ti 5:5
2Ti 1:3
chargeable.
6; Ne 5:15,18; 1Co 9:7,18; 2Co 11:9; 12:13,14
the gospel.
2; Ac 20:24; Ro 1:1; 15:16,19; 1Ti 1:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:8

    So 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.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:9

    For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:10

    Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

Read all of 1 Thessalonians 2

1 Thessalonians 2:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque ya, hermanos, os acordáis de nuestro trabajo y fatiga: que trabajando de noche y de día por no ser gravosos á ninguno de vosotros, os predicamos el evangelio de Dios.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car vous vous souvenez, frères, de notre peine et de notre labeur; c’est en travaillant nuit et jour pour n’être à charge à aucun de vous, que nous vous avons prêché l’évangile de Dieu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn ihr gedenket, Brüder, an unsere Mühe und Beschwerde: Nacht und Tag arbeitend, um niemand von euch beschwerlich zu fallen, haben wir euch das Evangelium Gottes gepredigt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Memores enim estis, fratres, laboris nostri, et fatigationis: nocte ac die operantes, ne quem vestrum gravaremus, prædicavimus in vobis Evangelium Dei.