New Living Translation
1 Timothy 1:9
9For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders.
1 Timothy 1:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
- New International Version (NIV)We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
- English Standard Version (ESV)understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers,
- New King James Version (NKJV)knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
Context of 1 Timothy 1:9
7They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently. 8We know that the law is good when used correctly. For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 10The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.
Read all of 1 Timothy 11 Timothy 1:9 word by word
εἰδὼς τοῦτο, ὅτι δικαίῳ νόμος οὐ κεῖται, ἀνόμοις δὲ καὶ ἀνυποτάκτοις, ἀσεβέσιν καὶ ἁμαρτωλοῖς, ἀνοσίοις καὶ βεβήλοις, πατρολῴαις καὶ μητρολῴαις, ἀνδροφόνοις,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Knowingεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- isκεῖμαιkeimai · to lay/be appointedG2749
- notοὐou · noG3756
- a righteous manδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
- butδέde · thenG1161
- for the lawlessἄνομοςanomos · lawlessG459
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- disobedientἀνυπότακτοςanupotaktos · insubordinateG506
- for the ungodlyἀσεβήςasebēs · ungodlyG765
- for sinnersἁμαρτωλόςhamartōlos · sinfulG268
- for unholyἀνόσιοςanosios · unholyG462
- profaneβέβηλοςbebēlos · profaneG952
- for murderers of fathersπατραλῴαςpatralōas · patricideG3964
- murderers of mothersμητραλῴαςmētralōas · matricideG3389
- for manslayersἀνδροφόνοςandrophonos · murdererG409
Cross-references for 1 Timothy 1:9
- Romans 4:13Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith.
- Romans 5:20God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.
- Romans 6:14Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
- Galatians 3:10But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”
- Galatians 5:23gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
- 2 Thessalonians 2:8Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.
- Romans 1:30They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.
- Hebrews 11:31It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
- 1 Peter 2:7Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.”
- 1 Peter 3:20those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.
- 1 Peter 4:18And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”
- Jeremiah 23:11“Even the priests and prophets are ungodly, wicked men. I have seen their despicable acts right here in my own Temple,” says the Lord.
- Ezekiel 21:25“O you corrupt and wicked prince of Israel, your final day of reckoning is here!
- Hebrews 12:16Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal.
- Leviticus 20:9“Anyone who dishonors father or mother must be put to death. Such a person is guilty of a capital offense.
- Deuteronomy 27:16‘Cursed is anyone who dishonors father or mother.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 1:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The law is not made for a righteous man - There is a moral law as well as a ceremonial law: as the object of the latter is to lead us to Christ; the object of the former is to restrain crimes, and inflict punishment on those that commit them. It was, therefore, not made for the righteous as a restrainer of crimes, and an inflicter of punishments; for the righteous avoid sin, and by living to the glory of God expose not themselves to its censures. This…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Knowing this - That is, “If anyone knows, or admits this, he has the prover view of the design of the law.” The apostle does not refer particularly to himself as knowing or conceding this, for then he would have uses the plural form of the participle (see the Greek), but he means that anyone who had just views of the law would see that that which he proceeds to specify was its real purpose. The law is not made for a righteous man - There has been great…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-11Verses 5-11 Whatever tends to weaken love to God, or love to the brethren, tends to defeat the end of the commandment. The design of the gospel is answered, when sinners, through repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ, are brought to exercise Christian love. And as believers were righteous persons in God's appointed way, the law was not against them. But unless we are made righteous by faith in Christ, really repenting and forsaking sin, we are…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9law is not enacted for the righteous: Generally, people who have virtue do not need laws. For Christians, living right with God comes from faith in Christ, not from obeying the law (see Galatians 5:16–26; Ephesians 2:11–14; Titus 2:11–14; compare Romans 8:1–17; James 2:14–16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. law is not made for a righteous man--not for one standing by faith in the righteousness of Christ put on him for justification, and imparted inwardly by the Spirit for sanctification. "One not forensically amenable to the law" [Alford]. For sanctification, the law gives no inward power to fulfil it; but Alford goes too far in speaking of the righteous man as "not morally needing the law." Doubtless, in proportion as he is inwardly led by the Spirit…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Timothy 1:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 1
- 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 Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries