Originally meaning to warm or heat something, this verb came to describe tender care, cherishing, and nurturing. Paul uses it metaphorically in Ephesians 5:29: 'No one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.' The warming imagery suggests affectionate care beyond mere provision—one cradles and comforts what one cherishes. In 1 Thessalonians 2:7, Paul says, 'we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children,' using the same verb to describe his tender apostolic care. The verb conveys warm devotion, not cold duty.