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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)who desires all people to be saved and to come to the 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.

Context of 1 Timothy 2:4

2for rulers, and for everyone who has authority over us. Pray for these people so that we can have a quiet and peaceful life always lived in a godly and reverent way. 3This is good and pleases God our Savior. He wants all people to be saved and to learn the truth. 5There is one God. There is also one mediator between God and humans—a human, Christ Jesus. 6He sacrificed himself for all people to free them from their sins. This message is valid for every era.

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 45:22Turn to me and be saved, all who live at the ends of the earth, because I am God, and there is no other.
• Isaiah 49:6Now, the Lord says, “You are not just my servant who restores the tribes of Jacob and brings back those in Israel whom I have preserved. I have also made you a light for the nations so that you would save people all over the world.”
• Isaiah 55:1“Listen! Whoever is thirsty, come to the water! Whoever has no money can come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk. You don’t have to pay; it’s free!
• Ezekiel 18:23I don’t want wicked people to die.” declares the Almighty Lord. “I want them to turn from their evil ways and live.
• Ezekiel 33:11“Tell them, ‘As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, I don’t want wicked people to die. Rather, I want them to turn from their ways and live. Change the way you think and act! Turn from your wicked ways! Do you want to die, people of Israel?’
• Luke 14:23“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go to the roads and paths! Urge the people to come to my house. I want it to be full.
• John 3:15Then everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.”
• John 6:37Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me. I will never turn away anyone who comes to me.
• Romans 3:29Is God only the God of the Jews? Isn’t he also the God of people who are not Jewish? Certainly, he is,
• 2 Corinthians 5:17Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and who have persecuted us severely. They are displeasing to God. They are enemies of the whole human race
• 2 Peter 3:9The Lord isn’t slow to do what he promised, as some people think. Rather, he is patient for your sake. He doesn’t want to destroy anyone but wants all people to have an opportunity to turn to him and change the way they think and act.
• Matthew 28:19So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
• Mark 16:15Then Jesus said to them, “So wherever you go in the world, tell everyone the Good News.
• Luke 24:47Scripture also says that by the authority of Jesus people would be told to turn to God and change the way they think and act so that their sins will be forgiven. This would be told to people from all nations, beginning in the city of Jerusalem.
• Romans 10:12There is no difference between Jews and Greeks. They all have the same Lord, who gives his riches to everyone who calls 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