1 Timothy 6:16

1 Timothy 6:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
• New International Version (NIV)who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
• English Standard Version (ESV)who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
• New King James Version (NKJV)who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

Context of 1 Timothy 6:16

14You must obey the commands that you have received. Obey them completely without any mistake until our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 15God will cause Christ to appear at the proper time. God is great, and he alone rules with all authority. He is the greatest King and the most powerful Lord. God alone lives for ever. He lives in very bright light that nobody can come near. Nobody has ever seen God. Nobody is able to see him. So we praise him! He will rule for ever with great authority! Amen! This is true. 17Warn those people who are rich with many things that belong to this world. Tell them not to think that they are more important than other people. They must not think that their money will keep them safe. They could easily lose all of it. Instead, they should trust God. He gives us many things, so that we can enjoy all of them. 18Tell those rich people to do many good things to help other people. They should be very kind to other people and share their things with them.

1 Timothy 6:16 word by word

ὁ μόνος ἔχων ἀθανασίαν, φῶς οἰκῶν ἀπρόσιτον, ὃν εἶδεν οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν δύναται, ᾧ τιμὴ καὶ κράτος αἰώνιον, ἀμήν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Whoἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• onlyμόνοςmonos · aloneG3441
• immortalityἀθανασίαathanasia · immortalityG110
• dwelling inοἰκέωoikeō · to dwellG3611
• the lightφῶςphōs · lightG5457
• which no man can approach untoἀπρόσιτοςaprositos · unapproachableG676
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• noοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• hath seenὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• norοὐδέoude · norG3761
• canδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• honourτιμήtimē · honorG5092
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• powerκράτοςkratos · powerG2904
• everlastingαἰώνιοςaiōnios · eternalG166
• Amenἀμήνamēn · amenG281

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 6:16

• 1 Timothy 1:17Praise God, the King who rules for ever! He can never die. He lives where we cannot see him. He is the only God. So praise him and say how great he is! That is true always and for ever! Amen! This is true.
• Exodus 3:14God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am! Say this to the Israelite people: “I AM has sent me to you.” ’
• Deuteronomy 32:40I lift up my hand to heaven and I make this strong promise: “I promise you this, as surely as I live for ever:
• Psalms 90:2From before the mountains began, and before you made the world, you were already there, as God. You have no beginning and no end.
• Isaiah 57:15The Mighty God is far higher than all others. He rules from above and he lives for ever. His name is holy. He says, ‘I live in a high and holy place. But I am also with anyone who is humble and who is sorry when he does wrong things. I will comfort people who are like that, and I will give them hope.
• John 8:58Jesus said, ‘I tell you this: Before Abraham was even born, “I am”.’
• Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ is always the same, yesterday, today and for ever.
• Revelation 1:8The Lord God says, ‘I caused all things to begin and I will cause the end of all things. I have all power and authority. I am alive. I have always been alive. I will continue to be alive for ever.’
• Psalms 104:2Light is all round you, like the clothes that you wear. You have put the skies as a roof over the earth.
• Habakkuk 3:4He is as bright as the sunrise. His hands throw bright lightning! That is where he hides his power.
• 1 John 1:5We are telling you the good news that Jesus Christ told to us. This is the message: God is completely good and clean. He is like light. There is nothing dark about him.
• Revelation 1:16He held seven stars in his right hand. A sword with two sharp edges came out of his mouth. His face was like the sun when it shines very brightly.
• Revelation 21:3I heard a voice that spoke loudly from the throne. It said, ‘Look! God's home is now among people! God will live together with them. They will be his people. God himself will be with them and he will be their God.
• Revelation 22:5There will be no more night, so nobody will need a lamp to make light. They will not need light from the sun, because the Lord God will shine on them. They will rule as kings for ever.
• Exodus 33:20But you will never see my face. Nobody can see my face and still be alive.’
• John 1:18Nobody has ever seen God. But God's only Son has shown God to us. He is very near to the Father, and he himself is God.

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 6:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Who only hath immortality - All beings that are not eternal must be mutable; but there can be only one eternal Being, that is God; and he only can have immortality. Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto - All this is said by the apostle in three words , inhabiting unapproachable light. Such is the excessive glory of God, that neither angel nor man can approach it. It is indeed equally unapproachable to all created beings. Whom no man hath…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Who only hath immortality - The word here - ̓́ athanasia- properly means “exemption from death,” and seems to mean that God, in his own nature, enjoys a perfect and certain exemption from death. Creatures have immortality only as they derive it from him, and of course are dependent on him for it. He has it by his very nature, and it is in his case underived, and he cannot be deprived of it. It is one of the essential attributes of his being, that he will…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-16Verses 11-16 It ill becomes any men, but especially men of God, to set their hearts upon the things of this world; men of God should be taken up with the things of God. There must be a conflict with corruption, and temptations, and the powers of darkness. Eternal life is the crown proposed for our encouragement. We are called to lay hold thereon. To the rich must especially be pointed out their dangers and duties, as to the proper use of wealth. But who…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16in his own time: At the right time, God will complete the salvation promised to us before the world began (compare 2:6); 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2). Christ began this salvation in his first appearance (1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 1:3). Christ's work of salvation fits within God's eternal plans. This knowledge naturally leads to worshiping God who saves us (see 1 Timothy 1:17). This prayer might come from a confession saying for use at baptisms (see study note on…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Who only hath immortality--in His own essence, not merely at the will of another, as all other immortal beings [Justin Martyr, Quæst. ad Orthod., 61]. As He hath immortality, so will He give it to us who believe; to be out of Him is death. It is mere heathen philosophy that attributes to the soul indestructibility in itself, which is to be attributed solely to God's gift. As He hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 6:16

• God
• God Continued...
• Jesus Continued
• Light
• Minister, Christian
• Power

In the dictionaries

• Babbling
• Confession
• Consent
• Content
• Contentment
• Covet
• Dwell
• Foolish
• King
• Light

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 6

• 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