SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:8
Tan amadores de vosotros, que quisiramos entregaros no slo el Evangelio de Dios, sino aun nuestras propias almas; porque nos sois carísimos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 2:8
Verse 8. Being affectionately desirous of you] We had such intense love for you that we were not only willing and forward to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ to you, but also to give our own lives for your sake, because ye were dear, dioti agaphtoi hmin, because ye were beloved by us. The words used here by the apostle are expressive of the strongest affection and attachment.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 8. So being affectionately desirous of you , etc.] Not of theirs but them; not of glory from them, nor a maintenance by them, but of their spiritual and eternal welfare; were as fond of them as a nursing mother is of her children, who, when absent from them but ever so little a while, longs to see them; (see 1 Thessalonians 2:17) and ( 1 Thessalonians 3:1,5- 8), we were willing : took the utmost pleasure, delight, and complacency: to have imparted unto you, not the Gospel of God only ; the sincere milk of the word, which they did freely, fully, and for their spiritual good and profit, without any regard to any advantage of their own: but also our own souls , or lives; which is the highest expression and strongest proof of love that can be given; and respect is still had to the similitude of the nursing mother, who may be said to impart her blood, for such it her milk diversified, for the nourishment of her children: and such was the great concern of the apostles for the interest of Christ, the spread of the Gospel, and the good of souls, that their lives were not dear unto them, so that these ends might he answered: because ye were dear unto us; both because they were loved by God, redeemed by Christ, regenerated by the Spirit of Christ, and had the image of Christ stamped upon them; and also because that they were their spiritual children; and as children are dear to their parents, so were these to them, even to such a degree, as that, were there a necessity for it, they could freely have laid down their lives for them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-12 - Mildness and tenderness greatly recommend religion, and are mos 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 faithfu to our calling as Christians, but in our particular callings an 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 should live as becomes those called with such a high and holy calling. Our great business is to honour, serve, and please God, and to seek to be worthy of him.
Greek Textus Receptus
ουτως 3779 ιμειρομενοι 2442 5734 υμων 5216 ευδοκουμεν 2106 5707 μεταδουναι 3330 5629 υμιν 5213 ου 3756 μονον 3440 το 3588 ευαγγελιον 2098 του 3588 θεου 2316 αλλα 235 και 2532 τας 3588 εαυτων 1438 ψυχας 5590 διοτι 1360 αγαπητοι 27 ημιν 2254 γεγενησθε 1096 5769
Vincent's NT Word Studies
8. Being affectionately desirous (omeiromenoi). N.T.o . Once in LXX, Job iii. 21. The figure of the nursing mother is continued. She is not satisfied with nursing the child, but interests herself affectionately in all that concerns it.
We were willing (hudokoumen). Better, we were pleased. Imperfect tense: we continued to entertain and manifest our affectionate solicitude. The verb occasionally in later Greek, and often in LXX. In N.T. it is used of God's decrees, as Luke xii. 32; 1 Cor. i. 21; Gal. i. 15; Col. i. 19; and of the free determination and plans of men, as Rom. xv. 26; 2 Cor. v. 8; 1 Thess. iii. 1.
Souls (yucav). Better lives. See on Rom. xi. 3; 1 Cor. xv. 45; Mark xii. 30.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:8 {Even so, being affectionately desirous of you} (houtws omeiromenoi humwn). Clearly the correct text rather than himeiromenoi from himeirw, old verb to long for. But the verb homeiromai (Westcott and Hort _om_., smooth breathing) occurs nowhere else except MSS. in #Job 3:21; Ps 62:2 (Symmachus) and the Lycaonian sepulchral inscription (4th cent. A.D.) about the sorrowing parents homeiromenoi peri paidos, {greatly desiring their son} (Moulton and Milligan, _Vocabulary_). Moulton suggests that it comes from a root smer, remember, and that o- is a derelict preposition o like o-duromai, o-kellw, w-keanos. Wohlenberg (Zahn, _Kommentar_) calls the word "a term of endearment,"derived from the language of the nursery" (Milligan). {We were well pleased} (eudokoumen). Imperfect active of eudokew, common verb in later Greek and in N.T. (see on #Mt 3:17), picturing Paul's idea of their attitude while in Thessalonica. Paul often has it with the infinitive as here. {To impart} (metadounai). Second aorist active infinitive of metadidwmi, old verb to share with (see on #Lu 3:11). Possible zeugma with {souls} (yucas), though Lightfoot renders "lives." Paul and his associates held nothing back. {Because ye were become very dear to us} (dioti agapetoi hemin egeneqete). Note dioti (double cause, dia, hoti, for that), use of ginomai again for become, and dative hemin with verbal agapetoi, beloved and so dear. A beautiful picture of the growth of Paul's affection for them as should be true with every pastor.
