1 Timothy 6:4 (DBY)

Passage

he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but sick about questions and disputes of words, out of which arise envy, strife, injurious words, evil suspicions,

Nearby Context

1 Timothy 6:2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise [them] because they are brethren; but let them the rather serve them with subjection, because they are faithful and beloved, who profit by the good and ready service [rendered]. These things teach and exhort.

1 Timothy 6:3 If any one teach differently, and do not accede to sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the teaching which [is] according to piety,

1 Timothy 6:4 he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but sick about questions and disputes of words, out of which arise envy, strife, injurious words, evil suspicions,

1 Timothy 6:5 constant quarrellings of men corrupted in mind and destitute of the truth, holding gain to be [the end of] piety.

1 Timothy 6:6 But piety with contentment *is* great gain.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "puffed", "knowing", "nothing", "sick", "questions", "disputes", "words", and "arise". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "puffed" and "knowing", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "If any one teach differently and do..." into verse 5's "constant quarrellings of men corrupted in mind...", so "puffed" and "knowing" belong inside that flow. In 1 Timothy context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "puffed" and "knowing" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.