Tree of Life Version
1 Timothy 3:16
16Now beyond question, great is the mystery of godliness: He was revealed in the flesh, Vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Trusted throughout 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
14These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly. 15But if I delay, I write so you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God—which is the community of the living God, a pillar and foundation of truth. Now beyond question, great is the mystery of godliness: He was revealed in the flesh, Vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Trusted throughout 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 it is beyond dispute that the lesser is blessed by the greater.
- 1 Timothy 3:9They must keep hold of the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
- Matthew 13:11And He replied to them, “To you has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
- Romans 16:25Now to the One who is able to strengthen you according to my Good News and the proclamation of Yeshua the Messiah, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages
- 1 Corinthians 2:7Rather, we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery—a wisdom that has been hidden, which God destined for our glory before the ages.
- Ephesians 1:9He made known to us the mystery of His will, in keeping with His good pleasure that He planned in Messiah.
- Ephesians 3:3that the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote before briefly.
- Ephesians 6:19And pray for me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News,
- Colossians 2:2My purpose is that their hearts, joined together in love, may be encouraged. May they have all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, leading to a true knowledge of the mystery of God—that is, Messiah.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:7For the mystery of lawlessness is already operating; only there is one who holds back just now, until he is taken out of the way.
- Revelation 17:5and on her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes and the detestable things of the earth.”
- Isaiah 7:14Therefore Adonai Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive. When she is giving birth to a son, she will call his name Immanuel.
- Isaiah 9:6Of the increase of His government and shalom there will be no end— on the throne of David and over His kingdom— to establish it and uphold it through justice and righteousness from now until forevermore. The zeal of Adonai-Tzva’ot will accomplish this.
- Jeremiah 23:5“Behold, days are coming” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign as king wisely, and execute justice and righteousness in the land.
- Micah 5:2Therefore He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth. Then the remnant of His brothers will return to Bnei-Yisrael.
- Matthew 1:23“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and give birth to a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” 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
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