What Does 1 Timothy 4:4 Mean in the King James?

For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
1 Timothy 4:4 · KJV
The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

Thanksgiving is the hinge: the creature remains good, and receiving it with gratitude makes its source visible.

What God creates is good, and what you receive with thanksgiving is not something to reject. Gratitude recognizes the gift as coming from God, rather than treating the food before you as inherently defiling.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

That created food is inherently defiling, so receiving it puts you outside God’s goodness.

κτίσμα

ktisma

GROWS FROM

κτιζ-

ktiz-

To create, establish, or bring into being.

The word translated “creature” belongs to the same Greek word family as “creation” and “creator.” The verse points past the thing received to its source: it is part of what God brings into being.

ALSO GROWS

ktisis: Creation; what has been created.

κτίσις

The creature you receive belongs to the whole created order, which is named as God’s work.

ktistēs: Creator; founder.

κτίστης

This branch keeps the source of the creature in view: what is received comes from the Creator.

εὐχαριστία

eucharistia

GROWS FROM

χάρις

charis

Favor or gift; in this word family, gratitude and giving thanks.

The Greek word for thanksgiving carries the word for favor or gift within it. Gratitude is more than a feeling attached to eating: it recognizes what is received as gift.

ALSO GROWS

eucharisteō: To give thanks.

εὐχαριστέω

This verb names the act of gratitude that accompanies receiving the creature.

charis: Favor; gift. It can also mean thanks where the context calls for it.

χάρις

This is the word-family seed inside thanksgiving, joining gratitude to the recognition of what has been given.

What God gives as good is received with gratitude, which recognizes the gift without treating it as defiling.

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 1:31 · KJVThe goodness of what God makes is spoken over the whole created order.
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
Deuteronomy 8:10 · KJVEating and fullness are joined to gratitude for what God gives.
For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
1 Corinthians 10:30 · KJVA meal is received as a gift, and thanks are spoken over it.
For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
1 Corinthians 10:30 · KJV

The Greek word for “grace” here, ⁨χάρις⁩ (charis), belongs to the same word family carried within “thanksgiving” in 1 Timothy 4:4. The shared root ties receiving food to recognizing it as gift.

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1 Timothy 4:4 KJV Meaning: Thanksgiving is the hinge