1 Thessalonians 2:3
“For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Paul insists his preaching sprang from no error, impurity, or trickery.
What Does 1 Thessalonians 2:3 Mean?
Paul clears his message of three charges that were often leveled at wandering teachers of his day. His 'exhortation,' his appeal to them to believe, was not 'of deceit' (rooted in error or delusion), not 'of uncleanness' (driven by impure motives), and not 'in guile' (using cunning tricks to manipulate). His preaching was clean at the source.
The world has always known religious salesmen who deceive, who exploit, or who scheme for gain, and Paul wants the Thessalonians to know he was none of these. The gospel he carried deserved honest handling, and he gave it. True ministry has nothing to gain from manipulation, because the message itself is true and the messenger answers to God. Paul's confidence here is the quiet confidence of a clear conscience. He could name every charge plainly because not one of them touched him.
In the Original Language
dolos (δόλος), 'guile' -- bait, cunning, the trickery used to catch someone unawares.