1 Timothy 2:3
in 1 Timothy 2This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
KJV
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
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This verse in 1 Timothy 2
Commentary
13 notes on this versePrayer for all, both unbelievers and heretics, is what the word "this" points to. This is also "good" by nature, because we are all of one and the same nature, and it is also "pleasing" to God.
This site's exposition
good and pleasing in the sight of God
on 1 Timothy 2:3-4
The warrant for praying so widely is the will of God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved. The word everyone is read two ways: all without exception with Wesley, and all without distinction with Calvin.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
He says, "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks." For we must give thanks to God for the good that befalls others, as that He maketh the sun to shine upon the evil and the good, and sendeth His rain both upon the just and the unjust. Observe how he would unite and bind us together, not only by prayer but by thanksgiving. For he who is urged to thank God for his neighbor's good, is also bound to love him, and be kindly disposed towards him. And if we must give thanks for our neighbor's good, much more for what happens to ourselves, and for what is unknown, and even for things against our will, and such as appear grievous to us, since God dispenses all things for our good.
What is said to be "acceptable"? The praying for all men. This God accepts, this He wills.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. who desires all people to be saved. He says, if He Himself desires all to be …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, for this is good, he gives the reasons for praying: and he does two things; first, he gives the reasons; second, he proves something he had assumed, at for there is one God. In regard to the first: first, he gives …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Do you ask, "Why are not more converted?" We do not pray enough. Is acceptable in the sight of God our saviour - Who has actually saved us that believe, and willeth all men to be saved. It is strange that any whom he has actually saved should doubt the universality of his grace!
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For this is good and acceptable - That is, it is good and acceptable to God that we should pray for all people. The reason is, that he desires their salvation, and hence it is agreeable to him that we should pray for it. If there were no provision made for their salvation, or if he was unwilling that they should be saved, it could not be agreeable to him that we should offer prayer for them.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
this--praying for all men. in the sight of God--not merely before men, as if it were their favor that we sought (2Co 8:21). our Saviour--a title appropriate to the matter in hand. He who is "our Saviour" is willing that all should be saved (1Ti 2:4; Ro 5:18); therefore we should meet the will of God in behalf of others, by praying for the salvation of all men.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
‘God our Savior; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.’1 Timothy 2:3, 4. MAY GOD THE HOLY GHOST guide our meditations to the best practical result this evening, that sinners may be saved and saints stirred up to diligence. I do not intend to treat my text controversially. It is like the stone which makes the corner of a building, and it looks towards a different side of the gospel from that which is mostly before us. Two sides of the building of truth meet here. In many a village there is a corner where the idle and the quarrelsome gather together; and theology has such corners. It would be very easy indeed to set ourselves in battle array, and during the next half-hour to carry on a very fierce attack against those who differ from us in opinion upon points which could be raised from this text. I do not see that any good would come of it, and, as we have very little time to spare, and life is short, we had better spend it upon something that may better tend to our edification. May the good Spirit preserve us from a contentious spirit, and help us really to profit by his word. It is quite certain that when we read that God will have all men to be saved it does not mean that he wills it with the force of a decree or a divine purpose, for, if he did, then all men would be saved. He willed to make the world, and the world was made: he does not so will the salvation of all men, for we know that all men will not be saved. Terrible as the truth is, yet is it certain from holy writ that there are men who, in consequence of their sin and their rejection of the Savior, will go away into everlasting punishment, where shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
‘God our Savior; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.’1 Timothy 2:3, 4. MAY GOD THE HOLY GHOST guide our meditations to the best practical result this evening, that sinners may be saved and saints stirred up to diligence. I do not intend to treat my text controversially. It is like the stone which makes the corner of a building, and it looks towards a different side of the gospel from that which is mostly before us. Two sides of the building of truth meet here.
This is good and acceptable - Prayer for all legally constituted authorities is good in itself, because useful to ourselves and to the public at large, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; and this is its highest sanction and its highest character: it is good; it is well pleasing to God.
The words behind it
9 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τοῦτο | touto | This | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| καλὸν | kalon | [is] good | G2570 → | 101 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀπόδεκτον | apodekton | acceptable | G587 → | |
| ἐνώπιον | enopion | before | G1799 → | 94 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σωτῆρος | soteros | Savior | G4990 → | 24 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| θεοῦ, | theou | God, | G2316 → | 1312 times |
τοῦτοThis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
καλὸν[is] good
kalonG2570 →101 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀπόδεκτονacceptable
apodektonG587 →
ἐνώπιονbefore
enopionG1799 →94 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
σωτῆροςSavior
soterosG4990 →24 times
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
θεοῦ,God,
theouG2316 →1312 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 2:5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:20–22
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.
- 1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- 1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
- Ephesians 2:20–22
Through
Hebrews 13:16And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
it leads to
- Galatians 6:10
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:13
But as for you, brothers, do not grow weary in well-doing.
- Romans 12:13
Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.
- Hebrews 6:10
For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
- Hebrews 13:1–2
Continue in brotherly love.
- Galatians 6:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About 1 Timothy
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1516: “Salvation by Knowing the Truth” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on 1 Timothy; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Timothy 6; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Timothy 7; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Timothy and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Timothy.