1 Timothy 2:4

1 Timothy 2:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
• New International Version (NIV)who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
• New Living Translation (NLT)who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.

Context of 1 Timothy 2:4

2for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

1 Timothy 2:4 word by word

ὃς πάντας ἀνθρώπους θέλει σωθῆναι καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• will haveθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• to be savedσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• to comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the knowledgeἐπίγνωσιςepignōsis · knowledgeG1922
• of the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 2:4

• Isaiah 45:22"Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.
• Isaiah 49:6he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
• Isaiah 55:1"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
• Ezekiel 18:23Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
• Ezekiel 33:11Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?
• Luke 14:23And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.
• John 3:15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
• John 6:37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
• Romans 3:29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
• 2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind
• 2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
• Matthew 28:19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
• Mark 16:15And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
• Luke 24:47and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
• Romans 10:12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 2:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Who will have all men to be saved - Because he wills the salvation of all men; therefore, he wills that all men should be prayed for. In the face of such a declaration, how can any Christian soul suppose that God ever unconditionally and eternally reprobated any man? Those who can believe so, one would suppose, can have little acquaintance either with the nature of God, or the bowels of Christ. And to come unto the knowledge of the truth - The truth - the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Who will have all men to be saved - That is, it is in accordance with his nature, his feelings, his desires. The word “will” cannot be taken here in the absolute sense, denoting a decree like that by which he willed the creation of the world, for then it would certainly be done. But the word is often used to denote a desire, wish, or what is in accordance with the nature of anyone. Thus it may be said of God that he “wills” that his creatures may be happy…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-7Here, prayer focuses on the church’s mission. This suggests that false teachers damaged the church's reputation in society and hindered its mission to non-Jewish people (see 3:6–7; 6:1; Titus 2:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. "Imitate God." Since He wishes that all should be saved, do you also wish it; and if you wish it, pray for it. For prayer is the instrument of effecting such things [Chrysostom]. Paul does not say, "He wishes to save all"; for then he would have saved all in matter of fact; but "will have all men to be saved," implies the possibility of man's accepting it (through God's prevenient grace) or rejecting it (through man's own perversity). Our prayers ought…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 2:4

• Gospel
• Minister, Christian
• Salvation
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Lead
• Verity
• Love
• Mystery
• Regeneration
• Repentance
• Restoration
• Timothy, Epistles of Paul to

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 2

• 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