New English Translation
1 Timothy 3:16
16And we all agree, our religion contains amazing revelation: He was revealed in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
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 hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you 15in case I am delayed, to let you know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, because it is the church of the living God, the support and bulwark of the truth. And we all agree, our religion contains amazing revelation: He was revealed in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
Read all of 1 Timothy 31 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- without controversyὁμολογουμένωςhomologoumenōs · undeniablyG3672
- greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the mysteryμυστήριονmustērion · mysteryG3466
- of godlinessεὐσέβειαeusebeia · pietyG2150
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- was manifestφανερόωphaneroō · to revealG5319
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
- justifiedδικαιόωdikaioō · to justifyG1344
- the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- seenὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- of angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- preachedκηρύσσωkērussō · to preachG2784
- the Gentilesἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
- believed onπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
- received upἀναλαμβάνωanalambanō · to take upG353
- gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
Cross-references for 1 Timothy 3:16
- Hebrews 7:7Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior,
- 1 Timothy 3:9holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
- Matthew 13:11He replied, “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not.
- Romans 16:25Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for long ages,
- 1 Corinthians 2:7Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory.
- Ephesians 1:9He did this when he revealed to us the secret of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ,
- Ephesians 3:3that by revelation the divine secret was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly.
- Ephesians 6:19Pray for me also, that I may be given the message when I begin to speak – that I may confidently make known the mystery of the gospel,
- Colossians 2:2My goal is that their hearts, having been knit together in love, may be encouraged, and that they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
- 2 Thessalonians 2:7For the hidden power of lawlessness is already at work. However, the one who holds him back will do so until he is taken out of the way,
- Revelation 17:5On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.”
- Isaiah 7:14For this reason the sovereign master himself will give you a confirming sign. Look, this young woman is about to conceive and will give birth to a son. You, young woman, will name him Immanuel.
- Isaiah 9:6For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called: Extraordinary Strategist, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Jeremiah 23:5“I, the Lord, promise that a new time will certainly come when I will raise up for them a righteous branch, a descendant of David. He will rule over them with wisdom and understanding and will do what is just and right in the land.
- Micah 5:2(5:1) As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, seemingly insignificant among the clans of Judah – from you a king will emerge who will rule over Israel on my behalf, one whose origins are in the distant past.
- Matthew 1:23“Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Emmanuel,” which 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
In the dictionaries
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries