complete verse (1 Timothy 4:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Timothy 4:8:

  • Uma: “For if we strengthen our physical bodies, it has just a little value. But if we strengthen our hearts to submit to God, it has much value, for our submitting to God brings blessings to our life at this time and to our life in the future too.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If we (dual) cause our (dual) body to be strong, there is use to it but indeed little. But if what we (dual) cause to be strong is our (dual) trust in God so that we (dual) can obey the will/desire of God, na, there is really much-use in it. This carries us (dual) to good not only here in the world but including in the afterworld.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There is a little value in training the body, however the value of fulfilling what God wants is very great, for it is what improves our situation even now and especially in the future when we are already in heaven.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because if we toughen our bodies, granted there is a little purpose/use to it, but if however we accustom our minds to follow a holy way-of-life, there is no limit to our benefit, because we will gain new life that comes-from God, not only now/today but rather in a future day as-well.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Admittedly there is indeed gain in strengthening the body. But really much more is gained by strengthening one’s following/obeying of the will of God. Because the outcome of it is, far-from-ordinary life which was promised will be ours while we are here still under the heavens and when we are now there in heaven.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because the people who exercise their bodies become stronger because of the exercise. But much better it is when the person strengthens his faith. Because concerning our faith, not only for the present time do we encounter God’s blessing but also the days to come.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 4:8

The use of the gymnastic term leads Paul to compare physical exercise with spiritual exercise. Training is the noun form of the verb “to train” in the previous verse. This training or “exercise” is described as bodily, referring to the actual activity of exercising the body in order to stay fit physically. This kind of exercise, Paul grants, is of some value. Some interpreters claim that the verse is not affirming the value of athletic training; it is in fact downgrading physical exercise and depreciating its value. In this case the expression would be rendered “of little (or, slight) value.” Some others, however, understand the verse as affirming the importance and worth of physical exercise, although recognizing that this importance is slight when compared to the exercise that leads to godliness. Translators are urged to follow this second interpretation, as both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have done. Other translation models are “Training (or, Exercising) the body is of some value (or, use)” or “If you exercise your body you will get some benefit, but….”

The last part of the verse then affirms the value of spiritual exercise. Actually the text says godliness here, but it seems obvious from the context that it is not godliness in itself that is being discussed but the exercise that leads to godliness, hence Good News Translation “spiritual exercise” (see also Phillips “bodily fitness … spiritual fitness”). Thus spiritual exercise and the spiritual fitness that results is of value in every way, that is, its value is not limited, because it is useful both for the present and for the future. Another way to express this is “But if you train your heart, that will be beneficial in every way.” Holds promise … for life is literally “having promise of life,” with “life” understood as that life that God has promised, hence “abundant life,” life in all its fullness, practically equivalent to “eternal life.” The sense of the passage seems to be that through spiritual exercise people can obtain that kind of a life that God has promised to give. And this life starts now; it is for the present. But it is also for the future; in fact, it does not cease with death, but it is also for the life to come. The present puts focus on the physical life, life in this world, whereas the life to come puts focus on existence beyond death. In either case spiritual exercise and spiritual fitness play an important role. An alternative translation model for this final part of this verse is “If you train your heart, that will be beneficial in every way, because right now and in the future you gain the life which God has promised.”

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 Timothy 4:8

4:8–10

In 4:9, Paul used an expression that he had used before (see the note on 1:15a). He was indicating that he was quoting a saying that was probably known to Timothy and other believers.

However, in this chapter, scholars do not agree about the contents of the saying. There are two main views:

(1) The saying is in 4:8. The Contemporary English Version indicates that it is following this option by placing quotation marks in 4:8. However, most other versions only indicate that they follow this interpretation by the way they word the verse or by the punctuation they use.

(Berean Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised Standard Version, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), God’s Word)

Most commentators also support this view.

(2) The saying is found in 4:10.

(New International Version (2011 Revision), Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) as it is supported by the majority of scholars.

4:8a

For: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For connects 4:8 with 4:7. It explains the reason that it was important for Timothy to train himself to be godly (4:7b).

physical exercise: This phrase refers to the way an athlete trains his body to become strong. Paul used the same word for exercise here as he used in the expression “train yourself” in 4:7b. However here he added the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as physical, that is, “bodily.”

is of limited value: When Paul said that physical training is of limited value, he meant that physical training did benefit people in some way. However, he made it clear in 4:8b that godliness benefited people more. Physical training helps people only while they are alive on earth. Godliness helps people now and also after they die.

4:8b

but: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but indicates that there is a contrast between physical training (4:8a) and spiritual training (4:8b).

godliness: Paul was still talking about training, but now the emphasis was on spiritual training. As the note on “godliness” in 4:7b said, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as godliness refers to the way people behave when they respect God.

is valuable in every way: This contrasts with the words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “is of some value” in 4:8a.

4:8c

holding promise: This part of the verse explains the way in which “godliness has value for all things” (4:8b). It is because it holds promise. This means that when a person trains himself in godliness, he can be sure that there will be a reward (from God).

for the present life and for the one to come: This verse does not state what the rewards might be. But it does say that there will be rewards both before and after a person dies. The Contemporary English Version has one way to express this:

It promises life now and forever.

Paul used a saying that was well known to the believers at that time. He had done the same thing in 1:15a and 3:1a.

Paragraph 4:9–10

© 2003 by SIL International®

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.