7But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.
The nurse-mother’s tender care is highlighted with the word care(Greek θάλπῃ/thalpē). This word indicates a special kind of care that gives careful thought to the needs of the one cared for, and that seeks to meet those needs; it implies loving concern.1,2
7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.