As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father does his children,
As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father does his children,
as ye know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging you , and testifying,
Even as you saw how, like a father with his children, we were teaching and comforting you all, and giving witness,
As ye know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children,
as ye know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging you, and testifying,
How we exhorted - What pastoral care is marked here! They exhorted - were continually teaching and instructing, the objects of their charge; this was their general work.
And comforted - They found many under trials and temptations, and those they encouraged.
And charged - Μαρτυρουμενοι· Continued witness to the people that all the threatenings and promises of God were true; that he required faith, love, and obedience; that he could not behold sin with allowance; that Jesus died to save them from their sins; and that, without holiness, none should see God. And all these things they did, not in a general way only, but they spoke to every man; none was left unnoticed, unadmonished, uncomforted. The spirit in which they performed all these branches of the pastoral care was that which was most likely to insure success; as a father treats his children, so they treated every member of the Church.
How we exhorted - That is, to a holy life.
And comforted - In the times of affliction.
And charged - Greek, "testified." The word testify is used here in the sense of protesting, or making an earnest and solemn appeal. They came as witnesses from God of the truth of religion, and of the importance of living in a holy manner They did not originate the gospel themselves, or teach its duties and doctrines as their own, but they came in the capacity of those who bore witness of what God had revealed and required, and they did this in the earnest and solemn manner which became such an office.
As a father doth his children - With an interest in your welfare, such as a father feels for his children, and with such a method as a father would use. It was not done in a harsh, dictatorial, and arbitrary manner, but in tenderness and love.
2:11 By exhorting, we are moved to do a thing willingly; by comforting, to do it joyfully; by charging, to do it carefully.