1 Timothy 3:16

1 Timothy 3:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
• New International Version (NIV)Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

Context of 1 Timothy 3:16

14I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; 15but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.

1 Timothy 3:16 word by word

Καὶ ὁμολογουμένως μέγα ἐστὶν τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον, ὃς ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκί, ἐδικαιώθη ἐν πνεύματι, ὤφθη ἀγγέλοις, ἐκηρύχθη ἐν ἔθνεσιν, ἐπιστεύθη ἐν κόσμῳ, ἀνελήμφθη ἐν δόξῃ.¶Read the interlinear

• By commonὁμολογουμένωςhomologoumenōs · undeniablyG3672
• greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• the mysteryμυστήριονmustērion · mysteryG3466
• of godlinessεὐσέβειαeusebeia · pietyG2150
• He whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• revealedφανερόωphaneroō · to revealG5319
• in the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• vindicatedδικαιόωdikaioō · to justifyG1344
• in the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• Seenὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• by angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
• Proclaimedκηρύσσωkērussō · to preachG2784
• amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the nationsἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• Believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• on in the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• Takenἀναλαμβάνωanalambanō · to take upG353
• up in gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 3:16

• Hebrews 7:7But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.
• 1 Timothy 3:9but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
• Matthew 13:11Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.
• Romans 16:25Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,
• 1 Corinthians 2:7but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;
• Ephesians 1:9He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him
• Ephesians 3:3that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
• Ephesians 6:19and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
• Colossians 2:2that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,
• 2 Thessalonians 2:7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.
• Revelation 17:5and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
• Isaiah 7:14Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
• Isaiah 9:6For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
• Jeremiah 23:5“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land.
• Micah 5:2But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”
• Matthew 1:23“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16And, without controversy - ̔· And confessedly, by general consent, it is a thing which no man can or ought to dispute; any phrase of this kind expresses the meaning of the original. God was manifest in the flesh - If we take in the whole of the 14th, 15th, and 16th verses, we may make a consistent translation in the following manner, and the whole paragraph will stand thus: Hoping to see thee shortly; but should I tarry long, these things I now write unto…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16And, without controversy - Undeniably, certainly. The object of the apostle is to say that the truth which he was about to state admitted of no dispute. Great is the mystery - On the meaning of the word “mystery,” see the notes on 1 Corinthians 2:7. The word means that which had been hidden or concealed. The meaning here is not that the proposition which he affirms was mysterious in the sense that it was unintelligible, or impossible to be understood; but…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-16Verses 14-16 The church is the house of God; he dwells there. The church holds forth the Scripture and the doctrine of Christ, as a pillar holds forth a proclamation. When a church ceases to be the pillar and ground of truth, we may and ought to forsake her; for our regard to truth should be first and greatest. The mystery of godliness is Christ. He is God, who was made flesh, and was manifest in the flesh. God was pleased to manifest himself to man, by…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16This verse contains a short song or statement of belief that emphasizes the profound religious teaching of early Christian worship. the mystery of godliness: Jesus Christ is the only source of godliness. vindicated by the Spirit: Christ’s resurrection reframes the story as an act of power, following his human life and death. The resurrection confirms his teachings (Romans 1:4). seen by angels: This emphasizes Jesus’s supreme rule in the realm of heaven…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. And--following up 1Ti 3:15: The pillar of the truth is the Church in which thou art required to minister; "AND (that thou mayest know how grand is that truth which the Church so upholds) confessedly (so the Greek for 'without controversy') great is the mystery of godliness: (namely), He who (so the oldest manuscripts and versions read for 'God') was manifested in (the) flesh (He who) was justified in the Spirit," &c. There is set before us the whole…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 3:16

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Gentiles
• Gospel
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• Mysteries
• Salvation
• Trinity

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Bishop
• Blameless
• Controversy
• Covetous
• Degree
• Flesh
• Godliness
• Hospitality

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 3

• 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