Darby Bible
1 Timothy 4:8
8for bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but piety is profitable for everything, having promise of life, of the present one, and of that to come.
1 Timothy 4:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
- New International Version (NIV)For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
- English Standard Version (ESV)for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
Context of 1 Timothy 4:8
6Laying these things before the brethren, thou wilt be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished with the words of the faith and of the good teaching which thou hast fully followed up. 7But profane and old wives' fables avoid, but exercise thyself unto piety; for bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but piety is profitable for everything, having promise of life, of the present one, and of that to come. 9The word [is] faithful and worthy of all acceptation; 10for, for this we labour and suffer reproach, because we hope in a living God, who is preserver of all men, specially of those that believe.
Read all of 1 Timothy 41 Timothy 4:8 word by word
ἡ γὰρ σωματικὴ γυμνασία πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶν ὠφέλιμος, ἡ δὲ εὐσέβεια πρὸς πάντα ὠφέλιμός ἐστιν ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν καὶ τῆς μελλούσης.Read the interlinear
- bodilyσωματικόςsōmatikos · bodilyG4984
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- profitableὠφέλιμοςōphelimos · valuableG5624
- littleὀλίγοςoligos · little/fewG3641
- everythingπᾶςpas · allG3956
- promiseἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
- lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
- presentνῦνnun · nowG3568
- oneὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- comeμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
Cross-references for 1 Timothy 4:8
- 1 Samuel 15:22And Samuel said, Has Jehovah delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, As in hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, Attention than the fat of rams.
- Psalms 50:7Hear, my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify unto thee: I am God, thy God.
- Isaiah 1:11To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith Jehovah. I am sated with burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and in the blood of bullocks, and of lambs, and of he-goats I take no pleasure.
- Isaiah 58:3— Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not; have afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find what pleaseth [you], and exact all your labours.
- Jeremiah 6:20To what purpose should there come to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing unto me.
- Amos 5:21I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will not smell [a sweet odour] in your solemn assemblies.
- 1 Corinthians 8:8But meat does not commend us to God; neither if we should not eat do we come short; nor if we should eat have we an advantage.
- Colossians 2:21Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch,
- Hebrews 13:9Be not carried away with various and strange doctrines; for [it is] good that the heart be confirmed with grace, not meats; those who have walked in which have not been profited by [them].
- Hebrews 9:9the which [is] an image for the present time, according to which both gifts and sacrifices, unable to perfect as to conscience him that worshipped, are offered,
- 1 Timothy 6:6But piety with contentment is great gain.
- Job 22:2Can a man be profitable to God? surely it is unto himself that the wise man is profitable.
- Deuteronomy 28:1And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to take heed to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that Jehovah thy God will set thee supreme above all nations of the earth;
- Job 5:19He will deliver thee in six troubles, and in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
- Psalms 37:3Confide in Jehovah, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on faithfulness;
- Psalms 84:11For Jehovah Elohim is a sun and shield: Jehovah will give grace and glory; no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 4:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8For bodily exercise profiteth little - . Those gymnastic exercises, so highly esteemed among the Greeks, are but little worth; they are but of short duration; they refer only to this life, and to the applause of men: but godliness has the promise of this life, and the life to come; it is profitable for all things; and for both time and eternity. But godliness is profitable unto all things - By godliness we are to understand every thing that the Christian…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8For bodily exercise profiteth little - Margin, “for a little time.” The Greek will admit of either interpretation, and what is here affirmed is true in either sense. The bodily exercise to which the apostle refers is of little advantage compared with that piety which he recommended Timothy to cultivate, and whatever advantage could be derived from it, would be but of short duration. “Bodily exercise” here refers, doubtless, to the mortifications of the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-10Verses 6-10 Outward acts of self-denial profit little. What will it avail us to mortify the body, if we do not mortify sin? No diligence in mere outward things could be of much use. The gain of godliness lies much in the promise; and the promises to godly people relate partly to the life that now is, but especially to the life which is to come: though we lose for Christ, we shall not lose by him. If Christ be thus the Saviour of all men, then much more…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9physical exercise … godliness: Compare with 1 Corinthians 9:24–27 and Colossians 2:23. holding promise for the present life and for the one to come: Compare with 1 Timothy 4:16, 6:6–8, Mark 10:29–30, and Ephesians 6:2–3. trustworthy saying: See study note on 1 Timothy 1:15.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. profiteth little--Greek, "profiteth to (but) a small extent." Paul does not deny that fasting and abstinence from conjugal intercourse for a time, with a view to reaching the inward man through the outward, do profit somewhat, Ac 13:3; 1Co 7:5, 7; 9:26, 27 (though in its degenerate form, asceticism, dwelling solely on what is outward, 1Ti 4:3, is not only not profitable but injurious). Timothy seems to have had a leaning to such outward self-discipline…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Timothy 4:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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