What does 1 Thessalonians 2:10 mean?

The believers at Thessalonica could testify that Paul and his coworkers were beyond reproach in their midst. They were devoted to God, lived up to the standards God had set for behavior, and no one could rightfully accuse them of wrongdoing. They conducted themselves admirably, letting their light shine so that the Thessalonians could see their good works and glorify God (see Matthew 5:16).

When the church at Jerusalem needed men who would administer the church's welfare program without bias, they chose "seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (Acts 6:3). It has always been essential in the history of the church to have leaders like those seven and Paul and his missionary companions. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul advised Timothy that an overseer must be above reproach (1 Timothy 3:2). While that especially applies to those who are called to leadership, the entire body of Christians is called to be above reproach (Philippians 2:14–15). God's standards are high for His people, and Paul and his coworkers lived up to them.