Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Thessalonians 2:9

"For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God." — 1 Thessalonians 2:9 (ASV)

Ye remember, brethren, our labour. Doubtless in the occupation of a tent-maker. (See the notes on Acts 20:34 and 1 Corinthians 4:12).

And travail. (See the notes on 2 Corinthians 11:27).

The word means wearisome labour.

For labouring night and day. That is, when he was not engaged in preaching the gospel. He appears to have laboured through the week and to have preached on the Sabbath; or, if engaged in preaching in the daytime during the week, he made it up by night labour.

We preached unto you the gospel of God. That is, I supported myself when I preached among you. No one, therefore, could say that I was disposed to live in idleness; no one that I sought to make myself rich at the expense of others.