1 Timothy 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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Context
Paul is urging Timothy to reject empty fables and instead train himself toward godliness, contrasting fleeting physical effort with lasting spiritual discipline.
What Does 1 Timothy 4:8 Mean?
Paul compares two kinds of training and shows their relative worth: physical effort has limited benefit, but godliness pays off in every area and reaches into eternity.
The word translated "exercise" comes from the training of an athlete, a picture Paul uses to describe disciplined spiritual growth. He is not despising care of the body; he is measuring its return against something greater. Bodily training profits "little" -- literally, for a little while, or to a small degree -- while godliness is "profitable unto all things," touching relationships, character, peace of mind, and one's standing before God. The decisive contrast is reach. Physical strength fades with age, but godliness carries "promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." It blesses the present and outlasts it. The verse encourages the kind of investment that does not expire. Just as an athlete trains daily for a fading prize, the believer is called to train in devotion to God for a reward that endures. It reorders our priorities, asking what we are most diligently building and whether it will still matter beyond this life.
In the Original Language
"Exercise" renders gymnasia, athletic training, and "godliness" is eusebeia, devout reverence toward God expressed in a faithful life.
Cross References
“Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”
- 1 Corinthians 9:25
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
- Matthew 6:33
“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.”
- 2 Peter 1:3
Application
Give your most disciplined effort to growing in devotion to God, since that investment blesses your present life and outlasts it.