Which bible/bibles gets 1 Timothy 3:16 correct?

[jfrog]

New International Version (©1984)
Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
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.

International Standard Version (©2008)
By common confession, the secret of our godly worship is great: In flesh was he revealed to sight, kept righteous by the Spirit's might, adored by angels singing. To nations was he manifest, believing souls found peace and rest, our Lord in heaven reigning!

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
And this Mystery of Righteousness is truly great, which was revealed in the flesh and was justified in The Spirit; He appeared to Angels and was preached among the Gentiles; He was trusted in the world and he ascended into glory.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
The mystery that gives us our reverence for God is acknowledged to be great: He appeared in his human nature, was approved by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was announced throughout the nations, was believed in the world, and was taken to heaven in glory.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And without doubt 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.

American King James Version
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And without argument, great is the secret of religion: He who was seen in the flesh, who was given God's approval in the spirit, was seen by the angels, of whom the good news was given among the nations, in whom the world had faith, who was taken up in glory.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And evidently great is the mystery of godliness, which was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, appeared unto angels, hath been preached unto the Gentiles, is believed in the world, is taken up in glory.

Darby Bible Translation
And confessedly the mystery of piety is great. God has been manifested in flesh, has been justified in the Spirit, has appeared to angels, has been preached among the nations, has been believed on in the world, has been received up in glory.

English Revised Version
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Weymouth New Testament
And, beyond controversy, great is the mystery of our religion-- that Christ appeared in human form, and His claims justified by the Spirit, was seen by angels and proclaimed among Gentile nations, was believed on in the world, and received up again into glory.

World English Bible
Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

Young's Literal Translation
and, confessedly, great is the secret of piety -- God was manifested in flesh, declared righteous in spirit, seen by messengers, preached among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory!

So which of these bibles get it right? The ones that say he or God?

[TGBTG]

I think Prax has made this point over and over, but I will iterate it again...lol

15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: He 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.

Notice the subject of verse 15 is God. Paul is talking about the house of God, the church of God. And then Paul says in verse 16 "He was manifest..."

It only flows from normal grammar that the "He" in verse 16 is referring to God

[Truthseeker]

Originally Posted by TGBTG

I think Prax has made this point over and over, but I will iterate it again...lol

15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: He 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.

Notice the subject of verse 15 is God. Paul is talking about the house of God, the church of God. And then Paul says in verse 16 "He was manifest..."

It only flows from normal grammar that the "He" in verse 16 is referring to God

Right!

[Light]

No where does the word godliness refers to the God head. Both trinity and oneness people try to make Jesus a God using 1Ti 3:16

1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

1Ti 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

1Ti 3:16 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.

1Ti 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

1Ti 4:8 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.

1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Q
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness ,

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Light

No where does the word godliness refers to the God head. Both trinity and oneness people try to make Jesus a God using 1Ti 3:16

Godliness is the issue but it still proves Jesus is God. It is actually showing even God in the flesh had to live a godly life by reliance on the Spirit and not the flesh, since this is a lesson to us on how this grand mystery of being godly really works. If God in flesh had to rely on Spirit to be justified, how much more do we?

[YounginHope]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Godliness is the issue but it still proves Jesus is God. It is actually showing even God in the flesh had to live a godly life by reliance on the Spirit and not the flesh, since this is a lesson to us on how this grand mystery of being godly really works. If God in flesh had to rely on Spirit to be justified, how much more do we?

Amen. I think that very thought often.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Light

No where does the word godliness refers to the God head. Both trinity and oneness people try to make Jesus a God using 1Ti 3:16

1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

1Ti 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

1Ti 3:16 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.

1Ti 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

1Ti 4:8 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.

1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Q
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness ,

1Ti 3:16 καὶ ὁμολογουμένως μέγα ἐστὶ τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον· Θεὸς ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκί, ἐδικαιώθη ἐν Πνεύματι, ὤφθη ἀγγέλοις, ἐκηρύχθη ἐν ἔθνεσιν, ἐπιστεύθη ἐν κόσμῳ, ἀνελήμφθη ἐν δόξῃ.

The word translated "godliness" is eusebias.

Barnes: Of godliness - The word “godliness” means, properly, piety, reverence, or religiousness. It is used here, however, for the gospel scheme, to wit, that which the apostle proceeds to state. This “mystery,” which had “been hidden from ages and from generations, and which was now manifest” Col_1:26, was the great doctrine on which depended “religion” everywhere, or was that which constituted the Christian scheme.

Roberson: The mystery of godliness (to tēs eusebeias mustērion). See 1Ti_3:9 “the mystery of the faith,” and 1Ti_2:2 for eusebeia. Here the phrase explains “a pillar and stay of the truth” (1Ti_3:15). See in particular 1Co_1:27. “The revealed secret of true religion, the mystery of Christianity, the Person of Christ” (Lock).

Vincent: The mystery of godliness (τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον)
(a) The connection of thought is with the truth (1Ti_3:15), and the words mystery of godliness are a paraphrase of that word. The church is the pillar and stay of the truth, and the truth constitutes the mystery of godliness. (b) The contents of this truth or mystery is Christ, revealed in the gospel as the Savior from ungodliness, the norm and inspiration of godliness, the divine life in man, causing him to live unto God as Christ did and does (Rom_6:10). See 1Ti_1:15; 1Ti_2:5; Col_1:26, Col_1:27. According to the Fourth Gospel, Christ is himself the truth (Joh_14:6). The mystery of godliness is the substance of piety = mystery of the faith (1Ti_3:9). (c) The truth is called a mystery because it was, historically, hidden, until revealed in the person and work of Christ; also because it is concealed from human wisdom, and apprehended only by faith in the revelation of God through Christ. (d) The genitive, of godliness, is possessive. The mystery of godliness is the truth which pertains or belongs to godliness. It is not the property of worldly wisdom. Great (μέγα) means important, weighty, as Eph_5:32.

end of quotes.

So then, the 'mystery of godliness' is a term that means 'the hidden secret of the true religion', or the hidden secret of piety. This is born out by the Reina Valera translation, "Y sin cotradicción, grande es el misterio de la piedad:" where eusebius is translated as piedad, or piety.

Strong's: From G2152; piety; specifically the gospel scheme: - godliness, holiness.

The Latin Vulgate is thus: et manifeste magnum est pietatis sacramentum.

So again, the word "godliness" does NOT mean 'right and moral living' in the sense of ethics, but rather means the right and proper relationship between man and God, and thus is synonymous with 'true religion'.

So the apostle is saying that there is no controversy or argument about the fact that the 'mystery' or core doctrine of the true faith is 'God was manifest in the flesh...' etc.

This not only establishes the deity of Christ, but refutes trinitarianism, which claims the trinity is the core doctrine or mystery of the true faith, and any other -ism which denies the deity of Christ. Without the deity of Christ, there is no eusebius, or true religion or worship of God.

[Scott Pitta]

I am tired, and I cannot write Greek on my computer, but I will take a swing at it.

In early Greek manuscripts of the NT, some manuscripts read "he" and other manuscripts read "God". They are evenly split between the manuscripts.

For what it is worth, the earliest manuscripts read "he" and not "God". If I recall, the variation entered the textual tradition around the 5th or 6th century.

It is not a theological issue. It is a textual criticism issue.

The history of this textual problem is covered in the Textual Commentary of the NT, by Metzger.

[rdp]

*Burgon's work still stands today in support of the reading "God" in this text:

http://www.archive.org/stream/revisi...ge/n7/mode/2up

*See here also for a synopsis:

http://www.berenddeboer.net/article/1_timothy_3_16.html

[SRM]

Paul was not writing to Timothy to explain how God became a man..but rather about the mystery of godly living and Paul demonstrates that the man Christ lived and practiced such a life for our example