New King James Version
1 Timothy 4:8
8For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
1 Timothy 4:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
- New International Version (NIV)For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
- English Standard Version (ESV)for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
Context of 1 Timothy 4:8
6If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 7But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 9This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 10For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
Read all of 1 Timothy 41 Timothy 4:8 word by word
ἡ γὰρ σωματικὴ γυμνασία πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶν ὠφέλιμος, ἡ δὲ εὐσέβεια πρὸς πάντα ὠφέλιμός ἐστιν ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν καὶ τῆς μελλούσης.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- bodilyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- bodilyσωματικόςsōmatikos · bodilyG4984
- exerciseγυμνασίαgumnasia · trainingG1129
- ·πρόςpros · to/withG4314
- ·εἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- profitethὠφέλιμοςōphelimos · valuableG5624
- littleὀλίγοςoligos · little/fewG3641
- butδέde · thenG1161
- godlinessεὐσέβειαeusebeia · pietyG2150
- all thingsπᾶςpas · allG3956
- havingἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- promiseἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
- of the lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
- that now isνῦνnun · nowG3568
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- of that which is to comeμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
Cross-references for 1 Timothy 4:8
- 1 Samuel 15:22So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
- Psalms 50:7“Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you; I am God, your God!
- Isaiah 1:11“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats.
- Isaiah 58:3‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers.
- Jeremiah 6:20For what purpose to Me Comes frankincense from Sheba, And sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices sweet to Me.”
- Amos 5:21“I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.
- 1 Corinthians 8:8But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
- Colossians 2:21“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”
- Hebrews 13:9Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
- Hebrews 9:9It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—
- 1 Timothy 6:6Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
- Job 22:2“Can a man be profitable to God, Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
- Deuteronomy 28:1“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.
- Job 5:19He shall deliver you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.
- Psalms 37:3Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
- Psalms 84:11For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 4:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8For bodily exercise profiteth little - . Those gymnastic exercises, so highly esteemed among the Greeks, are but little worth; they are but of short duration; they refer only to this life, and to the applause of men: but godliness has the promise of this life, and the life to come; it is profitable for all things; and for both time and eternity. But godliness is profitable unto all things - By godliness we are to understand every thing that the Christian…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8For bodily exercise profiteth little - Margin, “for a little time.” The Greek will admit of either interpretation, and what is here affirmed is true in either sense. The bodily exercise to which the apostle refers is of little advantage compared with that piety which he recommended Timothy to cultivate, and whatever advantage could be derived from it, would be but of short duration. “Bodily exercise” here refers, doubtless, to the mortifications of the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-10Verses 6-10 Outward acts of self-denial profit little. What will it avail us to mortify the body, if we do not mortify sin? No diligence in mere outward things could be of much use. The gain of godliness lies much in the promise; and the promises to godly people relate partly to the life that now is, but especially to the life which is to come: though we lose for Christ, we shall not lose by him. If Christ be thus the Saviour of all men, then much more…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9physical exercise … godliness: Compare with 1 Corinthians 9:24–27 and Colossians 2:23. holding promise for the present life and for the one to come: Compare with 1 Timothy 4:16, 6:6–8, Mark 10:29–30, and Ephesians 6:2–3. trustworthy saying: See study note on 1 Timothy 1:15.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. profiteth little--Greek, "profiteth to (but) a small extent." Paul does not deny that fasting and abstinence from conjugal intercourse for a time, with a view to reaching the inward man through the outward, do profit somewhat, Ac 13:3; 1Co 7:5, 7; 9:26, 27 (though in its degenerate form, asceticism, dwelling solely on what is outward, 1Ti 4:3, is not only not profitable but injurious). Timothy seems to have had a leaning to such outward self-discipline…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Timothy 4:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 4
- 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 King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries