for our preaching of the good news did not come to you as mere words but with power and the holy Spirit and full conviction??ou know the kind of life we lived among you for your good.

nor did we seek glory either from you or from any other mere men, although we might have stood on our dignity as Christ's Apostles.

And we also thank God continually for this, that when you received the word of God [concerning salvation] which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its inherent, supernatural power in those of faith].

And not for the mere gratification of his passions, like the Gentiles who know nothing of God;