Godless

Godliness - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

The whole of practical piety (1 Tim. 4:8; 2 Pet. 1:6). "It supposes knowledge, veneration, affection, dependence, submission, gratitude, and obedience." In 1 Tim. 3:16 it denotes the substance of revealed religion.

Godliness - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

GOD'LINESS, n. [from godly.] Piety; belief in God, and reverence for his character and laws.

1. A religious life; a careful observance of the laws of God and performance of religious duties, proceeding from love and reverence for the divine character and commands; christian obedience.

Godliness is profitable unto all things. 1 Tim 4.

2. Revelation; the system of christianity.

Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness;

God was manifest in the flesh. l Tim.3.

Godly - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

GOD'LY, a. [god-like] Pious; reverencing God, and his character and laws.

1. Living in obedience to God's commands, from a principle of love to him and reverence of his character and precepts; religious; righteous; as a godly person.

2. Pious; conformed to God's law; as a godly life.

GOD'LY, adv. Piously; righteously.

All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer

persecution. 2 Tim 3.

Ungodliness - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

UNGOD'LINESS, n. Impiety; wickedness; disregard of God and his commands and neglect of his worship; or any positive act of disobedience or irreverence.

The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness. Rom 1.

Ungodly - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

UNGOD'LY, a.

1. Wicked; impious; neglecting the fear and worship of God, or violating his commands. 1 Pet 4.

2. Sinful; contrary to the divine commands; as ungodly deeds. Jude 4.

3. Polluted by wickedness; as an ungodly day.

god'-les: This word is not found in the text of the King James Version. It is found, however, in Apocrypha (2 Macc 7:34, "O godless (the Revised Version (British and American) "unholy") man"). the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes the word "godless" for the word "hypocrite" in the following passages: Job 8:13; 13:16; 15:34; 17:8; 20:5; 27:8; 34:30; 36:13; Pr 11:9; Isa 33:14. the Revised Version (British and American) does not seem to be consistent in carrying out the idea of "godless" for "hypocrite," for in Isa 9:17; 10:6; Ps 35:16 this same Hebrew word chaneph is translated "profane." The principal idea lying at the root of the word is that of pollution and profanity; a condition of not merely being without God but assuming an attitude of open and blatant opposition toward God. The godless man is not merely the atheistic, unbelieving or even irreligious, but the openly impious, wicked and profane man. Indeed it can hardly be rightly claimed that the idea of hypocrisy is involved in the meaning of the word, for the "godless" man is not the one who professes one thing and lives another, but the one who openly avows not only his disbelief in, but his open opposition to, God. Doubtless the idea of pollution and defilement is also to be included in the definition of this word; see Jer 3:9; Nu 35:33; Da 11:31.

William Evans

god'-li-nes, god'-li (eusebeia, eusebes, eusebos): In the Old Testament the word rendered "godly" in Ps 4:3; 32:6 (chacidh) is literally, "kind," then "pious" (the Revised Version, margin renders it in the former passage, "one that he favoreth"). Sometimes in both the Old Testament and the New Testament a periphrasis is employed, "of God," "according to God" (e.g. "godly sorrow," 2Co 7:10). Godliness, as denoting character and conduct determined by the principle of love or fear of God in the heart, is the summing up of genuine religion. There can be no true religion without it: only a dead "form" (2Ti 3:5). The term is a favorite one in the Pastoral Epistles. The incarnation is "the mystery of godliness" (1Ti 3:16).

James Orr

un-god'-li (rasha` (Ps 1:1), "wicked," beliya`al (2Sa 22:5), "worthless"; in the New Testament asebes (Ro 5:6), e.g. indicating that the persons so called are both irreverent and impious): Trench says that the idea of active opposition to religion is involved in the word, that it is a deliberate withholding from God of His dues of prayer and of service; a standing, so to speak, in battle array against God and His claims to respect, reverence and obedience. Those whose sins are particularly aggravating and deserving of God's wrath are the "ungodly." And yet it is for such that Jesus Christ died (Ro 5:6).

William Evans

Definition

The term “godly” is used to describe a person who acts in a way that honors God and shows what God is like. “Godliness” is the character quality of honoring God by doing his will.

• A person who has godly character will show the fruits of the Holy Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and self control.
• The quality of godliness shows that a person has the Holy Spirit and is obeying him.

The terms “ungodly” and “godless” describe people who are in rebellion against God. Living in an evil way, without thought of God, is called “ungodliness” or “godlessness.”

• The meanings of these words are very similar. However, “godless” and “godlessness” may describe a more extreme condition in which people or nations do not even acknowledge God or his right to rule them.
• God pronounces judgment and wrath on ungodly people, on everyone who rejects him and his ways.

Translation Suggestions

• The phrase “the godly” could be translated as “godly people” or “people who obey God.” (See: nominaladj)
• The adjective “godly” could be translated as “obedient to God” or “righteous” or “pleasing to God.”
• The phrase “in a godly manner” could be translated as “in a way that obeys God” or “with actions and words that please God.”
• Ways to translate “godliness” could include “acting in a way that pleases God” or “obeying God” or “living in a righteous manner.”

• Depending on the context, the term “ungodly” could be translated as “displeasing to God” or “immoral” or “disobeying God.”
• The terms “godless” and “godlessness” literally mean that the people are “without God” or “having no thought of God” or “acting in a way that does not acknowledge God.”
• Other ways to translate “ungodliness” or “godlessness” could be “wickedness” or “evil” or “rebellion against God”.

(See also evil, honor, obey, righteous)

Bible References

• Job 27:10
• Proverbs 11:9
• Acts 3:12
• 1 Timothy 1:9-11
• 1 Timothy 4:7
• 2 Timothy 3:12
• Hebrews 12:14-17
• Hebrews 11:7
• 1 Peter 4:18
• Jude 1:16

Word Data

• Strong’s: H0430, H1100, H2623, H5760, H7563, G05160, G07630, G07640, G07650, G21240, G21500, G21520, G21530, G23160, G23170