1 Thessalonians 2:5 (ESV)

5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed God is witness.

In this denial, Paul wants to make it clear that he was not motivated—even in ways unknown to the Thessalonians—by greed. A helpful definition of greed is a strong desire to acquire more and more material possessions or to possess more things than other people have, all irrespective of need.1