1 Timothy 4:8 (LSB)

Passage

for bodily training is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Nearby Context

1 Timothy 4:6 In pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.

1 Timothy 4:7 But refuse godless myths fit only for old women. On the other hand, train yourself for the purpose of godliness,

1 Timothy 4:8 for bodily training is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

1 Timothy 4:9 It is a trustworthy saying and deserving full acceptance.

1 Timothy 4:10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "all things", "bodily", "training", "only", "little", "profit", "godliness", and "profitable". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "all things" and "bodily", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "But refuse godless myths fit only for..." into verse 9's "It is a trustworthy saying and deserving...", so "all things" and "bodily" 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 "all things" and "bodily" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.