1 Timothy 4:8

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.

World English Bible
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Other translations

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.

BSB

For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.

KJV

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.

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.

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.

Original Greek

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ἡ hē (the) G3588 γὰρ gar For G1063 σωματικὴ sōmatikē bodily G4984 γυμνασία gumnasia exercise G1129 πρὸς pros of G4314 ὀλίγον oligon a little G3641 ἐστὶν estin is G1510 ὠφέλιμος ōphelimos profit G5624 ἡ hē (the) G3588 δὲ de but G1161 εὐσέβεια eusebeia godliness G2150 πρὸς pros for G4314 πάντα panta everything G3956 ὠφέλιμός ōphelimos profitable G5624 ἐστιν estin is G1510 ἐπαγγελίαν epangelian [the] promise G1860 ἔχουσα echousa holding G2192 ζωῆς zōēs of life G2222 τῆς tēs of the G3588 νῦν nun present G3568 καὶ kai and G2532 τῆς tēs which G3588 μελλούσης mellousēs is coming G3195

The early church

"For bodily exercise profiteth little." This has by some been referred to fasting; but away with such a notion! for that is not a bodily but a spiritual exercise. If it were bodily it would nourish the body, whereas it wastes and makes it lean, so that it is not bodily. Hence he is not speaking of the discipline of the body. What we need, therefore, is the exercise of the soul. For the exercise of the body hath no profit, but may benefit the body a little, but the exercise of godliness yields fruit and advantage both here and hereafter.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on 1 Timothy

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 6–10

Outward acts of self-denial profit little. What will it avail us to mortify the body, if we do not mortify sin? No diligence in mere outward things could be of much use. The gain of godliness lies much in the promise; and the promises to godly people relate partly to the life that now is, but especially to the life which is to come: though we lose for Christ, we shall not lose by him. If Christ be thus the Saviour of all men, then much more will he be the Rewarder of those who seek and serve him; he will provide well for those whom he has made new creatures.

Read Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 4 →

Cross-references

46

Topics

RighteousHolinessLifeImmortalityVanityAsceticism

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.