Be a burden (1912) (epibareo from epà = upon or an intensifier + baréo = to burden) means to weigh down, to place a weight upon someone, to put a burden on or to be burdensome to. To press too heavily on or be too severe with. To burden heavily, referring to material resources. Paul did not want to be a financial burden to the Thessalonian saints. Paul emulates civic-minded persons who did not wish the public to be burdened. Paul made it his policy to work so as to shut the mouths of those who would have liked to say that he, like others, was in the preaching business for what he could get out of it (cf. 2 Cor 11:12). Epibareo is used 3 times in Scripture... 2 Corinthians 2:5 But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree-- in order not to say too much-- to all of you. (Comment: Here epibareo seems to have the meaning "in order not to heap up too great a burden of words" or in order not to say too much). 1 Thessalonians 2:9 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 2 Thessalonians 3:8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we might not be a burden to any of you Paul did manual labor (likely making tents) in order to give the gospel without charge. He wanted to avoid any appearance of self-serving in their evangelistic ministry (or pretext of greed 1Thessalonians 2:5), Paul and Silas did not preach in order to secure money for their support. They earned their sustenance by their own labor most likely by making and selling tents (Acts 18:3). They performed manual labor in order to give the gospel without charge. In a Jewish setting, there would have been nothing unusual about this, since every rabbi had a trade. However, in Thessalonica it would have been remarkable, since non-Jewish traveling lecturers were often less scrupulous, and the Greeks generally despised manual labor. WE PROCLAIMED TO YOU THE GOSPEL OF GOD: ekeruxamen eis humas to euaggelion tou theou: (1Th 2:2; Acts 20:24; Romans 1:1; 15:16,19; 1Timothy 1:11) Proclaimed the gospel of God - This is the third time in this chapter we encounter the term gospel of God. (1Thes 2:2, 2:8, 2:9) (It is notable that there are only 8 total uses of this phrase in the NT - click for all 8 in NASB) The designation stresses the divine origin and authority of their message and points to the greatness of the good news they had imparted to the Thessalonians. It was because the messengers were deeply convinced that their message was indeed God's gospel that they were willing to proclaim it freely while working for their own living. This is the very thing Jesus did at the inception of His ministry... Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching (kerusso) the Gospel of God. 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled (cf Gal 4:4 "fullness of time" in God's prophetic timetable, the time was ripe for the appearance of the King), and the kingdom of God is at hand (Or "is near" because the King has arrived!). Repent (present imperative = not just a one time repentance but as one's lifestyle!) and believe (present imperative = again, not just a one time belief but believing as a lifestyle! Problems and doubts assail us moment by moment, stressing the need for us to continually walk by faith, in the Sprit, not by sight!) in the gospel." (Mark 1:14-15) Hogg and Vine remark that at each occurrence of the expression the missionaries appear in a different capacity... in 1Thes 2:2 Paul refers to the work of the missionaries as evangelists among the as yet unconverted Thessalonians; in 1Thes 2:8 he refers to their work as pastors, and in 1Thes 2:9 as teachers, among their converts.