1 Timothy 6:4

he is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles, from which come envy, strife, insulting, evil suspicions,

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WEBBE

he is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles, from which come envy, strife, insulting, evil suspicions,

BSB

he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and disputes about words, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,

KJV

He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

ASV

he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but doting about questionings and disputes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

BBE

He has an over-high opinion of himself; being without knowledge, having only an unhealthy love of questionings and wars of words, from which come envy, fighting, cruel words, evil thoughts,

Original Greek

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τετύφωται tetuphōtai he has been puffed up G5187 μηδὲν mēden nothing G3367 ἐπιστάμενος epistamenos knowing G1987 ἀλλὰ alla but G235 νοσῶν nosōn unhealthy G3552 περὶ peri about G4012 ζητήσεις zētēseis controversies G2214 καὶ kai and G2532 λογομαχίας logomachias disputes about words G3055 ἐξ ex out of G1537 ὧν hōn which G3739 γίνεται ginetai come G1096 φθόνος phthonos envy G5355 ἔρις eris strife G2054 βλασφημίαι blasphēmiai slander G988 ὑπόνοιαι huponoiai suspicions G5283 πονηραί ponērai evil G4190

The early church

"Doting about questions." To question then is to dote. "And strifes of words"; this is justly said. For when the soul is fevered with reasonings, and stormy, then it questions, but when it is in a sound state, it does not question, but receives the faith. But from questionings and strifes of words nothing can be discovered. For when the things which faith only promises are received by an inquisitive spirit, it neither demonstrates them, nor suffers us to understand them. If one should close his eyes, he would not be able to find anything he sought: or if, again with his eyes open, he should bury himself, and exclude the sun, he would be unable to find anything, thus seeking. So without faith nothing can be discerned, but contentions must needs arise. "Whereof come railings, evil surmisings"; that is, erroneous opinions and doctrines arising from questionings. For when we begin to question, then we surmise concerning God things that we ought not.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on 1 Timothy

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–5

Christians were not to suppose that religious knowledge, or Christian privileges, gave them any right to despise heathen masters, or to disobey lawful commands, or to expose their faults to others. And such as enjoyed the privilege of living with believing masters, were not to withhold due respect and reverence, because they were equal in respect to religious privileges, but were to serve with double diligence and cheerfulness, because of their faith in Christ, and as partakers of his free salvation. We are not to consent to any words as wholesome, except the words of our Lord Jesus Christ; to these we must give unfeigned consent. Commonly those are most proud who know least; for they do not know themselves. Hence come envy, strife, railings, evil-surmisings, disputes that are all subtlety, and of no solidity, between men of corrupt and carnal minds, ignorant of the truth and its sanctifying power, and seeking their worldly advantage. (1Ti 6:6-10)

Read Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 6 →

Cross-references

44

Topics

Minister, ChristianWord Of GodPrideEnvyRichesRailing

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