1 TIM 4:8 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) because keeping fit is of some benefit, but being godly benefits every part of life, from the present life right through to life in the next age.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT for bodily training is useful for little, but godliness is useful for all, having promise of life, now and coming.

UST Here is what I mean: working hard to make your body stronger is helpful for a little while. However, working hard to honor God is helpful at all times. When you do that, you can confidently expect to live with God both now and also when God makes you alive again.

BLB For bodily exercise is of a little profit, but godliness is profitable for everything, holding the promise of the present life and of the one coming.

AICNT 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.

OEB for while the training of the body is of service in some respects, religion is of service in all, carrying with it, as it does, a promise of life both here and hereafter.

WEBBE For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now and of that which is to come.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET For “physical exercise has some value, but godliness is valuable in every way. It holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.”

LSV for bodily exercise is to little profit, but piety is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is coming;

FBV for while physical exercise is useful to some extent, spiritual exercise is much more useful. For “it has promise for the present life, and for the life to come.”

TCNT For bodily training is beneficial to a certain extent, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds [fn]promise for both the present life and the life to come.

4:8 promise ¦ promises ANT PCK

T4T Some people say, “It helps us in some ways if we exercise our bodies.” But I say that people benefit very much if they live ◄in a godly way/in a way that pleases God►, because if people live in a godly way, that will benefit them both while they live now and when they live in the future life in heaven.

LEB For the training of the body is _⌊somewhat_⌋[fn] profitable, but godliness is profitable for everything, because it[fn] holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.

4:8 Literally “for a little”

4:8 *Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“holds”) which is understood as causal

BBE For the training of the body is of profit for a little, but religion is of profit in every way, giving hope for the life which now is, and for that which is to come.

Moff The training of the body is of small service, but religion is of service in all directions; it contains the promise of life both for the present and for the future.

Wymth Train yourself in godliness. Exercise for the body is not useless, but godliness is useful in every respect, possessing, as it does, the promise of Life now and of the Life which is soon coming.

ASV for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come.

DRA For bodily exercise is profitable to little: but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

YLT for the bodily exercise is unto little profit, and the piety is to all things profitable, a promise having of the life that now is, and of that which is coming;

Drby for bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but piety is profitable for everything, having promise of life, of the present one, and of that to come.

RV for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come.

SLT For bodily exercise is profitable, to little: but devotion is profitable to all things, having promise of life now, and that about to be.

Wbstr For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

KJB-1769 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.
(For bodily exercise profiteth/profits little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. )

KJB-1611 For bodily exercise profiteth [fn]litle, but godlinesse is profitable vnto all things, hauing promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

4:8 Or, for a little time.

Bshps For bodyly exercise profiteth litle: but godlinesse is profitable vnto all thinges, hauing promise of the lyfe that is nowe, and of that which is to come.
(For bodyly exercise profiteth/profits little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that is now, and of that which is to come.)

Gnva For bodily exercise profiteth litle: but godlinesse is profitable vnto all things, which hath the promise of the life present, and of that that is to come.
(For bodily exercise profiteth/profits little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, which hath/has the promise of the life present, and of that that is to come. )

Cvdl For bodely exercyse profyteth litle, but godlynes is profytable vnto all thinges, as a thinge which hath promyses of the life that is now, and of the life for to come.
(For bodily exercise profyteth little, but godlynes is profytable unto all things, as a thing which hath/has promises of the life that is now, and of the life for to come.)

TNT For bodely exercise proffiteth lyttll: But godlines is good vnto all thynges as a thynge which hath promyses of the lyfe that is now and of the lyfe to come.
(For bodily exercise proffiteth lyttll: But godlines is good unto all things as a thing which hath/has promises of the life that is now and of the life to come. )

Wycl For bodili exercitation is profitable to litle thing; but pitee is profitable to alle thingis, that hath a biheest of lijf that now is, and that is to come.
(For bodily exercitation is profitable to little thing; but pitee is profitable to all things, that hath/has a behest/promise of life that now is, and that is to come.)

Luth Denn die leibliche Übung ist wenig nütz; aber die GOttseligkeit ist zu allen Dingen nütz und hat die Verheißung dieses und des zukünftigen Lebens.
(Because the leibliche Übung is few useful; but the Godblessedkeit is to/for all/everyone things useful and has the promise(n) this and the future life.)

ClVg Nam corporalis exercitatio, ad modicum utilis est: pietas autem ad omnia utilis est, promissionem habens vitæ, quæ nunc est, et futuræ.[fn]
(For/Surely bodilys exercitatio, to modicum utilis it_is: pietas however to everything utilis it_is, promise having of_life, which now it_is, and future. )

4.8 Nam corporalis. Datur hic intelligi quod vigiliis, jejuniis, orationibus et bonis operibus se exercebat Timotheus, non adeo intentus operibus misericordiæ. Pietas, quæ operatur bona fratribus et valet ad promerendum Deum.

4.8 For/Surely bodilys. Datur this/here to_be_understood that vigiliis, yeyuniis, prayers and good works himself was_practicing Timotheus, not/no so_much intentus works of_mercy. Pietas, which works good(s) brothers and valet to promerendum God.

UGNT ἡ γὰρ σωματικὴ γυμνασία πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶν ὠφέλιμος, ἡ δὲ εὐσέβεια πρὸς πάντα ὠφέλιμός ἐστιν, ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν, καὶ τῆς μελλούσης.
(haʸ gar sōmatikaʸ gumnasia pros oligon estin ōfelimos, haʸ de eusebeia pros panta ōfelimos estin, epangelian eⱪousa zōaʸs taʸs nun, kai taʸs mellousaʸs.)

SBL-GNT ἡ γὰρ σωματικὴ γυμνασία πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶν ὠφέλιμος, ἡ δὲ εὐσέβεια πρὸς πάντα ὠφέλιμός ἐστιν, ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν καὶ τῆς μελλούσης.
(haʸ gar sōmatikaʸ gumnasia pros oligon estin ōfelimos, haʸ de eusebeia pros panta ōfelimos estin, epangelian eⱪousa zōaʸs taʸs nun kai taʸs mellousaʸs.)

RP-GNT ἡ γὰρ σωματικὴ γυμνασία πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶν ὠφέλιμος· ἡ δὲ εὐσέβεια πρὸς πάντα ὠφέλιμός ἐστιν, ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν καὶ τῆς μελλούσης.
(haʸ gar sōmatikaʸ gumnasia pros oligon estin ōfelimos; haʸ de eusebeia pros panta ōfelimos estin, epangelian eⱪousa zōaʸs taʸs nun kai taʸs mellousaʸs.)

TC-GNT ἡ γὰρ σωματικὴ γυμνασία πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶν ὠφέλιμος· ἡ δὲ εὐσέβεια πρὸς πάντα ὠφέλιμός ἐστιν, [fn]ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν καὶ τῆς μελλούσης.
(haʸ gar sōmatikaʸ gumnasia pros oligon estin ōfelimos; haʸ de eusebeia pros panta ōfelimos estin, epangelian eⱪousa zōaʸs taʸs nun kai taʸs mellousaʸs. )

4:8 επαγγελιαν ¦ επαγγελιας ANT PCK

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:1–16: Paul told Timothy how to teach the believers

In this section, Paul warned Timothy against people who were teaching false doctrines. They were teaching that believers should not marry and that there were certain kinds of food that they should not eat. Paul told Timothy several things that he should do to oppose the errors of the false teachers. For example:

He should teach correct doctrines (4:11).
He should be a good example to others (4:12b).
He should read aloud the Scriptures to encourage the believers to obey them (4:13b).

Paul wanted Timothy to continue to do these things and not become discouraged.

Paragraph 4:6–8

Paul once more gave Timothy some direct commands about how he could be a good servant of Christ. He must reject false teaching and train himself to behave in ways that please God.

4:8–10

In 4:9, Paul used an expression that he had used before (see the note on 1:15a). He was indicating that he was quoting a saying that was probably known to Timothy and other believers.

However, in this chapter, scholars do not agree about the contents of the saying. There are two main views:

The saying is in 4:8. The CEV indicates that it is following this option by placing quotation marks in 4:8.Knight, page 198, says, “The following considerations have convinced me that v. 8 is the saying: V. 8 looks like a proverbial saying, a point acknowledged by those who opt for v. 10. It contains two unique words, γυμνασία [=‘exercise’] (a NT hapax) and σωματικός [=‘bodily’] (only here and Lk. 3:22 in the NT), whereas v. 10 contains none, and it is more stereotyped in form than v. 10. V. 9 urges a personal response to the saying with the words ‘worthy of full acceptance,’ words that are only added to the citation-commendation formula when the note of personal response is not contained in the saying itself (see the comments on 1:15; Faithful Sayings, 30, 143f.), which is the case with v. 8, but not with v. 10, with its first person plural (‘we’) verbs….V. 10 does seem to be a more lofty theological statement than v. 8 and does include the note of salvation found in other ‘faithful sayings’ (e.g., 1 Tim. 1:15), but certainly v. 8 is equally significant as a theological statement, and the concept of salvation is not present in all the ‘faithful sayings’ (e.g., 1 Tim. 3:1; cf. also 2 Tim. 2:11–13). And form is a surer guide than content. Finally, the foil statement in v. 8a, γὰρ σωματικὴ γυμνασία πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶν ὠφέλιμος [=‘for bodily exercise for a little is profitable’] can be better explained as part of a ‘saying.’” However, most other versions only indicate that they follow this interpretation by the way they word the verse or by the punctuation they use. (BSB, CEV, GNT, NJB, RSV, KJV, NASB, NET, NCV, NLT, GW) Most commentators also support this view.
The saying is found in 4:10. (NIV, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) as it is supported by the majority of scholars.

4:8a

For physical exercise is of limited value,

For it is somewhat useful to exercise your body,
You should do this because as you know, it is quite good for a person to train himself so that his body becomes strong.

For: The Greek word that the BSB translates as For connects 4:8 with 4:7. It explains the reason that it was important for Timothy to train himself to be godly (4:7b).

physical exercise: This phrase refers to the way an athlete trains his body to become strong. Paul used the same word for exercise here as he used in the expression “train yourself” in 4:7b. However here he added the word that the BSB translates as physical, that is, “bodily.”

is of limited value: When Paul said that physical training is of limited value, he meant that physical training did benefit people in some way. However, he made it clear in 4:8b that godliness benefited people more. Physical training helps people only while they are alive on earth. Godliness helps people now and also after they die.

4:8b

but godliness is valuable in every way,

but to be godly is useful for everything,
But it is better for a person to try hard to behave like God wants him to behave,

but: The word that the BSB translates as but indicates that there is a contrast between physical training (4:8a) and spiritual training (4:8b).

godliness: Paul was still talking about training, but now the emphasis was on spiritual training. As the note on “godliness” in 4:7b said, the Greek word that the BSB translates as godliness refers to the way people behave when they respect God. See godliness, godly in the Glossary.

is valuable in every way: This contrasts with the words that the BSB translates as “is of some value” in 4:8a.

4:8c

holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.

because this helps a person both while he is alive on this earth and also after he dies.

holding promise: This part of the verse explains the way in which “godliness has value for all things” (4:8b). It is because it holds promise. This means that when a person trains himself in godliness, he can be sure that there will be a reward (from God).

for the present life and for the one to come: This verse does not state what the rewards might be. But it does say that there will be rewards both before and after a person dies. The CEV has one way to express this:

It promises life now and forever.

Paul used a saying that was well known to the believers at that time. He had done the same thing in 1:15a and 3:1a.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

γὰρ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἡ Γάρ Σωματική γυμνασία πρός ὀλίγον ἐστίν ὠφέλιμος ἡ δέ εὐσέβεια πρός παντᾶ ὠφέλιμος ἐστίν ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν καί τῆς μελλούσης)

Here, the word for introduces a further explanation about why Timothy should train himself for godliness. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces an explanation, or you could leave for untranslated. Alternate translation: [and here is why:] or [since]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

πρὸς ὀλίγον & πρὸς πάντα

The phrases for little and for all could refer to: (1) a little time and all time. Alternate translation: [for some times … for all times] or [sometimes … always] (2) little usefulness and all usefulness. Alternate translation: [in some ways … in all ways] or [for a few things … for all things]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἡ δὲ εὐσέβεια

¬the the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἡ Γάρ Σωματική γυμνασία πρός ὀλίγον ἐστίν ὠφέλιμος ἡ δέ εὐσέβεια πρός παντᾶ ὠφέλιμος ἐστίν ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν καί τῆς μελλούσης)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of godliness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [but being godly]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα

˓the˒_promise holding

Here, the phrase having promise introduces something about godliness that supports the claim that godliness is useful for all. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [since with godliness comes a promise] or [because godliness leads to a promise]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἐπαγγελίαν & ζωῆς

˓the˒_promise & ˱of˲_˓the˒_life

Here, Paul is using the possessive form to describe a promise that could: (1) promise this life. Alternate translation: [a promise that guarantees life] (2) be in effect while a person has this life. Alternate translation: [promise for life] or [promise during life]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ζωῆς τῆς νῦν, καὶ τῆς μελλούσης

˱of˲_˓the˒_life ¬which present (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἡ Γάρ Σωματική γυμνασία πρός ὀλίγον ἐστίν ὠφέλιμος ἡ δέ εὐσέβεια πρός παντᾶ ὠφέλιμος ἐστίν ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν καί τῆς μελλούσης)

Here Paul is referring to true life with God that people can have now and in the coming future, when God resurrects people after they have died. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [of true life, both now and after the resurrection] or [of life in Christ now and after God renews everything]