The Greek here has the same link word “for” which we noted in verse 1. Here it may indicate a logical link between verses 1 and 2. It may mean “our stay in Thessalonica was a hard and costly time for us, and this proves that we had not come to win cheap popularity or to make easy money”; or it may mean “we spoke openly and fearlessly because we had no unworthy motive to hide.” But either of these interpretations makes rather too much of an unemphatic conjunction, and it is probably best to omit it in translation, as in done in various translations (Good News Translation Phillips Barclay Jerusalem Bible Knox Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch Bijbel in Gewone Taal).

Some translations understand appeal as a synonym of Good News in verse 2 and so translate as “preaching” (Luther 1984 Le Nouveau Testament. Version Synodale) or “what we preach” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) or simply refer back to verse 2 with an adverb “thereby” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Appeal in this sense, however, refers not to the whole content of the message as such, but to its application to a particular group of hearers, that is, to the preachers’ appeal to them to accept the message. (In Acts 2, for example, the appeal would be, not Peter’s entire sermon, but the application of his message in verses 38-40; the related verb meaning “made his appeal” is, in fact, used in verse 40.) Good News Translation Bible en français courant Revised Standard Version New English Bible Knox Moffatt Barclay Best all translate by appeal.

Good News Translation‘s addition of to you is justified, partly by the nearness of verse 2, which refers explicit to Thessalonica, and partly by the likelihood that Paul is here thinking of criticisms made against himself and his friends (see general note on 2.3-7a).

Neither the Greek text nor Good News Translation uses a verb such as “made” with appeal (“the appeal which we make”), but in many languages a verb must be supplied. Should it be in the past or in the present tense? If the reference is general, the present tense must be used in English. If, as seems more likely, the reference is specifically to the Thessalonians, the verb should probably be in the past tense, since Paul does not begin making any appeal to his readers until chapter 4 of the present letter. Among English translations, Moffatt Revised Standard Version New English Bible take the reference as specific, and therefore they use the present tense; Knox takes it as specific and uses the past tense; Barclay and Translator’s New Testament take it as general but use the present tense.

The noun appeal must frequently be rendered as a verb, for example, “when we were appealing to you,” but sometimes appeal must be translated as “try to convince.” When one translates appeal as a temporal clause beginning with “when,” it is necessary to restructure the latter part of the clause, for example, “when we were trying to convince you about the Good News, we did not use lies,” or “… we did not speak lies.” In this type of context, the closest equivalent of error is often “lies” or “untruths,” and “lies” is usually the more effective term.

Paul is fond of grouping three similar expressions (cf. 1.3), but the three nouns represented by error, impure motives, and nor do we try to trick anyone do not seem to be arranged in any particular order. Error is more than an innocent mistake. It means a wandering from the path of truth, a voluntary (and therefore sinful) giving in to influences which lead one astray (see 2 Thess. 2.11; Ephesians 4.14). “Impurity” (motives is implied) can mean literal or ritual uncleanness, but it is often associated with sexual immorality (e.g. in Romans 1.24; Galatians 5.19; Ephesians 5.3; Colossians 3.5). Paul may be referring to the sexual immorality which, in the Greek world as well as in the world of the Old Testament, often accompanied pagan worship. However, the word for “impurity” has a wider meaning in Romans 6.19 and perhaps in Ephesians 4.19; 5.3, and Paul does not refer to sex in 1 Thessalonians until chapter 4; so a more general meaning such as “impurity” is more likely here. If error is the state of having been led away from truth, deceit is the attempt to trick other people. Paul is indeed describing a vicious circle.

The phrase not based on … impure motives is often rendered in a figurative manner, for example, “our heart was true,” “our hearts had no shadows in them,” “there was no darkness in us,” or “we had no twisted thoughts.” Nor do we try to trick anyone may simply be rendered as “and we do not try to deceive anyone,” or, idiomatically, “we do not try to make people think that bad is good.”

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .