What Does 1 Timothy 2:3 Mean in the King James?
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse grounds God’s welcome in God’s nature as Deliverer: the One receiving the prayer is the One who brings people out.
THE MEANING
Prayer for all kinds of people is good and welcome in God’s sight. God is named as our Saviour, the One who delivers, so this welcome holds the whole human horizon in view.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that some people are beyond the reach of God’s concern, or that bringing them into prayer is pointless.
THE ROOT
σωτῆρος
sōtēros
GROWS FROM
σῴζω
sōzō
Deliver, bring out, rescue.
“Saviour” in this verse is sōtēros. The Greek title belongs to the word family for deliverance: the verse names God by the work of bringing people out. The surrounding lines hold all people in view, and this title presents deliverance as God’s defining action toward them.
ALSO GROWS
sōzō: Deliver, bring out, rescue.
σῴζω
This verb names the action carried in the title “Saviour.”
sōtēria: Deliverance.
σωτηρία
The title and the noun for deliverance share a word family: God is named as the One who brings people out.
ἀποδεκτόν
apodekton
GROWS FROM
δέχομαι
dechomai
Receive, welcome.
“acceptable” in this verse is apodekton. This word carries the sense of something received and welcomed. Paired with “good,” it presents prayer for all kinds of people as something God welcomes in the sight of the Deliverer.
ALSO GROWS
apodechomai: Receive, accept, welcome.
ἀποδέχομαι
The related verb makes the sense of active reception audible in “acceptable.”
dektos: Accepted, welcome.
δεκτός
This related adjective appears in Acts 10:35 for one accepted with God, extending the same welcome across every nation.
THE PATTERN
God’s saving reach and welcome extend across national boundaries and every kind of person.
That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,THE THREAD
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.The next verse opens “God our Saviour” into God’s stated will for all people: to be delivered and come to the knowledge of truth. Its σωθῆναι (sōthēnai, “to be delivered”) comes from the same σῴζω (sōzō, “deliver”) word family as “Saviour” here.
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