1 Timothy 3:16 BSB — MannaFest

1 Timothy 3:16

By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

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.

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A note on the manuscripts

Most scholars agree

"God was manifest in the flesh" — two letters apart

Older Bibles read "God was manifest in the flesh"; newer ones read "He who was manifested." In ancient Greek capitals the difference is two small strokes, and the deity of Christ does not rest on this verse.

What it changes: Not the deity of Christ, which does not depend on this verse and never has. John 1:1 says the Word was God. Thomas says to the risen Jesus, "My Lord and my God." Titus 2:13 speaks of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:8 has the Father addressing the Son as God. Colossians 2:9 says all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily. Romans 9:5 blesses Christ as God over all. Remove 1 Timothy 3:16 from the discussion entirely and the doctrine stands exactly where it stood.

The manuscripts, and the case each way →

Commentary

4 voices

Origen of Alexandria

HOMILIES ON LUKE, 6.9-10 (253)

Behold the Savior's greatness. It extends to all the world.… Go up to the heavens. See how he fills the celestial regions, "He appeared to the angels." Go down in your mind to the nether world. See that he went down there, too.… Ponder the Lord's power, how it has filled the world—that is, the heavens, the earth and the nether regions.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

God was manifest in the flesh - In the form of a servant, the fashion of a man, for three and thirty years. Justified by the Spirit - Publicly "declared to be the Son of God," by his resurrection from the dead. Seen - Chiefly after his resurrection.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

He was made sin for us, and was delivered for our offences; but, being raised again, he was justified in the Spirit; that is, it was made to appear that his sacrifice was accepted, and so he rose again for our justification, as he was delivered for our offences, Rom. iv.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

And, without controversy - Και ὁμολογουμενες· 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.

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 786: “The Great Mystery of Godliness” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) (1867)

THE Apostle had just reminded Timothy that the Church of the living God is the pillar and ground of the Truth of God, and he had pressed it upon him to behave himself aright in the midst of those faithful men to whom the Lord had committed the Gospel. And, lest by any means the youthful minister should think that the treasure committed to the Church was of little value, he declares that beyond all controversy it was great and precious.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

26 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
Καὶ	Kai	And	G2532 →
ὁμολογουμένως	homologoumenōs	confessedly	G3672 →
μέγα	mega	great	G3173 →
ἐστὶν	estin	is	G1510 →
τὸ	to	the	G3588 →
τῆς	tēs	<the>	G3588 →
εὐσεβείας	eusebeias	of godliness	G2150 →
μυστήριον,	mustērion	mystery:	G3466 →
ὃς	hos	Who	G3739 →
ἐφανερώθη	ephanerōthē	was revealed	G5319 →
ἐν	en	in	G1722 →
σαρκί,	sarki	[the] flesh,	G4561 →
ἐδικαιώθη	edikaiōthē	was justified	G1344 →
ἐν	en	in	G1722 →
πνεύματι,	pneumati	[the] Spirit,	G4151 →
ὤφθη	ōphthē	beheld	G3700 →
ἀγγέλοις,	angelois	by angels,	G32 →
ἐκηρύχθη	ekēruchthē	was proclaimed	G2784 →
ἐν	en	among	G1722 →
ἔθνεσιν,	ethnesin	[the] nations,	G1484 →
ἐπιστεύθη	episteuthē	was believed on	G4100 →
ἐν	en	in	G1722 →
κόσμῳ,	kosmō	[the] world,	G2889 →
ἀνελήμφθη	anelēmphthē	was taken up	G353 →
ἐν	en	in	G1722 →
δόξῃ.¶	doxē	glory.	G1391 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
leads to
- 1 John 4:9
  This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
- Hebrews 1:3
  The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the…
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Galatians 4:4
  But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
- John 1:1
  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- Isaiah 40:5
  And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Through
Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the…
leads to
- Colossians 1:15–17
  The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
- Revelation 4:11
  “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.”
- John 14:9–10
  Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the…