1 Thessalonians 2:4

God approved and entrusted Paul with the gospel, so he speaks to please God, not people. He preaches as a steward accountable to the One who tests hearts.

Cross-references · 34

• Gal 1:10Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
• Rom 8:27And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
• Gal 2:7On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.
• Ps 17:3You have tried my heart; You have visited me in the night. You have tested me and found no evil; I have resolved not to sin with my mouth.
• 2 Tim 1:14Guard the treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
• 2 Cor 4:2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
• Eph 6:6And do this not only to please them while they are watching, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
• Ps 139:1–2For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
• Eph 3:8Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
• Jer 32:19the One great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are on all the ways of the sons of men, to reward each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.
• 1 Cor 4:1–2So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
• Titus 1:3In His own time He has made His word evident in the proclamation entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.
• 1 Chr 29:17I know, my God, that You test the heart and delight in uprightness. All these things I have given willingly and with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are present here giving joyfully and willingly to You.
• 1 Kgs 8:39be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place. And may You forgive and act, and repay each man according to all his ways, since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of all men—
• 1 Tim 1:11–13that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.
• Num 27:16“May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation
• Prov 17:3A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
• 1 Cor 9:17If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.
• Luke 16:11So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches?
• Heb 4:13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
• 2 Cor 5:11Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.
• Rev 2:23Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
• Jer 17:10I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
• Col 3:22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord.
• Luke 12:42And the Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time?
• 1 Tim 6:20O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”
• Ps 44:21would not God have discovered, since He knows the secrets of the heart?
• 1 Cor 2:4–5My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,
• John 21:17Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
• 1 Cor 7:25Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
• 2 Cor 5:16So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
• 2 Tim 2:2And the things that you have heard me say among many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others as well.
• John 2:24–25But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew them all.
• Ps 7:9Put an end to the evil of the wicked, but establish the righteous, O righteous God who searches hearts and minds.

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