1 Timothy 6:16

who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

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Other translations

WEBBE

He alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honour and eternal power. Amen.

BSB

He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

KJV

Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

ASV

who only hath immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom [be] honor and power eternal. Amen.

BBE

Who only has life for ever, living in light to which no man may come near; whom no man has seen or is able to see: to whom be honour and power for ever. So be it.

Original Greek

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ὁ ho (the) G3588 μόνος monos alone G3441 ἔχων echōn having G2192 ἀθανασίαν athanasian immortality G110 φῶς phōs in light G5457 οἰκῶν oikōn dwelling G3611 ἀπρόσιτον aprositon unapproachable G676 ὃν hon whom G3739 εἶδεν eiden has seen G1492 οὐδεὶς oudeis no [one] G3762 ἀνθρώπων anthrōpōn of men G444 οὐδὲ oude nor G3761 ἰδεῖν idein to see G1492 δύναται dunatai is able G1410 ᾧ hō to whom [be] G3739 τιμὴ timē honor G5092 καὶ kai and G2532 κράτος kratos dominion G2904 αἰώνιον aiōnion eternal G166 ἀμήν.¶ amēn Amen G281

The early church

"Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto." Is He then Himself one Light, and is there another in which He dwells? is He then circumscribed by place? Think not of it. By this expression is represented the Incomprehensibleness of the Divine Nature. Thus he speaks of God, in the best way he is able. Observe, how when the tongue would utter something great, it fails in power. "Whom no man hath seen nor can see." As, indeed, no one hath seen the Son, nor can see Him. "To whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen." Thus properly, and much to the purpose, has he spoken of God. For as he had called Him to witness, he speaks much of that Witness, that his disciple may be in the greater awe. In these terms he ascribes glory to Him, and this is all we can do, or say. We must not enquire too curiously, who He is. If power everlasting is His, fear not. Yea though now it take not place, to Him is honor, to Him is power evermore.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on 1 Timothy

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 11–16

It ill becomes any men, but especially men of God, to set their hearts upon the things of this world; men of God should be taken up with the things of God. There must be a conflict with corruption, and temptations, and the powers of darkness. Eternal life is the crown proposed for our encouragement. We are called to lay hold thereon. To the rich must especially be pointed out their dangers and duties, as to the proper use of wealth. But who can give such a charge, that is not himself above the love of things that wealth can buy? The appearing of Christ is certain, but it is not for us to know the time. Mortal eyes cannot bear the brightness of the Divine glory. None can approach him except as he is made known unto sinners in and by Christ. The Godhead is here adored without distinction of Persons, as all these things are properly spoken, whether of the Father, the Son, or the Holy Ghost. God is revealed to us, only in and through the human nature of Christ, as the only begotten Son of the Father.

Read Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 6 →

Cross-references

26

Topics

Jesus, The ChristGodPowerLight

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