Back to 1 Timothy 1

1 Timothy 1:17

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

World English Bible · Public Domain

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

  • TYNDALE Tyndale New Testament (1534)

    So then vnto god kynge everlastinge immortall invisible and wyse only be honoure and prayse for ever and ever Amen.

  • GNV Geneva Bible (1599)

    Nowe vnto the King euerlasting, immortall, inuisible, vnto God onely wise, be honour and glorie, for euer, and euer, Amen.

View more translations →

Examined in Scripture Analysis

Contradictions (1)

Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.

  • Can God be seen?

Explore Contradictions →

Cross-references (45)

Passages linked to 1 Timothy 1:17 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.

  • Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
  • Jude 1:25 to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
  • 1 Timothy 6:15-16 which in its own times he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. He alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.
  • Revelation 17:14 These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful.”
  • Revelation 19:1 After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory belong to our God;
  • 1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, Yahweh, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty! For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, Yahweh, and you are exalted as head above all.
  • Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
  • Revelation 19:16 He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
  • Psalms 45:6 Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom.
  • Psalms 10:16 Yahweh is King forever and ever! The nations will perish out of his land.
  • Romans 1:23 and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things.
  • Hebrews 1:8-13 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.” And, “You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands. They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does. You will roll them up like a mantle, and they will be changed; but you are the same. Your years won’t fail.” But which of the angels has he told at any time, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?”
  • Revelation 19:6 I heard something like the voice of a great multitude, and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of mighty thunders, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns!
  • Nehemiah 9:5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless Yahweh your God from everlasting to everlasting! Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!
  • Psalms 47:6-8 Sing praises to God! Sing praises! Sing praises to our King! Sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth. Sing praises with understanding. God reigns over the nations. God sits on his holy throne.
  • Psalms 72:18-19 Praise be to Yahweh God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Blessed be his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and amen.
  • Psalms 90:2 Before the mountains were born, before you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
  • Psalms 106:48 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting! Let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise Yah!
  • Psalms 145:13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations. Yahweh is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds.
  • Jeremiah 10:10 But Yahweh is the true God. He is the living God, and an everlasting King. At his wrath, the earth trembles. The nations aren’t able to withstand his indignation.
  • Daniel 4:34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.
  • Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.
  • Daniel 7:14 Dominion was given him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom that which will not be destroyed.
  • Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
  • Malachi 1:14 “But the deceiver is cursed, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to the Lord a defective thing; for I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”
  • Matthew 6:13 Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’
  • Matthew 25:34 Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
  • Matthew 28:20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
  • John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him.
  • Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse.
  • Romans 2:7 to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life;
  • Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
  • Romans 16:27
  • Hebrews 11:27 By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
  • 1 Peter 5:11 To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
  • 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
  • 1 John 4:12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.
  • Revelation 4:8-11 The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!” When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!”
  • Revelation 5:9-14 They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe, language, people, and nation, and made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign on the earth.” I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!” I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!” The four living creatures said, “Amen!” Then the elders fell down and worshiped.
  • Revelation 7:12 saying, “Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
  • Revelation 15:3 They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty! Righteous and true are your ways, you King of the nations.
  • Psalms 41:13 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting! Amen and amen.
  • Psalms 45:1 My heart overflows with a noble theme. I recite my verses for the king. My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer.
  • Psalms 57:11 Be exalted, God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth.
  • Daniel 2:44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

↑ Top

Explain this verse (19 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 17 Now to the King eternal His amazing vehemence…

17 Now to the King eternal His amazing vehemence at length breaks out into this exclamation; because he could not find words to express his gratitude; for those sudden bursts occur chiefly when we are constrained to break off the discourse, in consequence of being overpowered by the vastness of the subject. And is there anything more astonishing than Paul’s conversion? Yet, at the same time, by his example he reminds us all that we ought never to think of the grace manifested in God’s calling without being carried to lofty admiration.

Eternal, invisible, only wise This sublime praise of the grace which God had bestowed on him swallows up the remembrance of his former life. For how great a deep is the glory of God! Those attributes which he ascribes to God, though they belong to him always, yet are admirably adapted to the present occasion. The Apostle calls him the King eternal, not liable to any change; Invisible, because (1 Timothy 6:16) he dwells in light that is inaccessible; and, lastly, the Only Wise, because he renders foolish, and condemns as vanity, all the wisdom of men. The whole agrees with that conclusion at which he arrives:

Read full note →

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his designs! How unsearchable his ways!” (Romans 11:33.)

He means that the infinite and incomprehensible wisdom of God should be beheld by us with such reverence that, if his works surpass our senses, still we may be restrained by admiration.

Yet as to the last epithet Only, it is doubtful whether he means to claim all glory for God alone, or calls him the only wise, or says that he only is God. The second of these meanings is that which I prefer; for it was in fine harmony with his present subject to say, that the understanding of men, whatever it may be, must bend to the secret purpose of God. And yet I do not deny that he affirms that God alone is worthy of all glory; for, while he scatters on his creatures, in every direction, the sparks of his glory, still all glory belongs truly and perfectly to him alone. But either of those meanings implies that there is no glory but that which belongs to God.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain See John 17:3.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The apostle falleth out of this discourse with a…
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain Our apostle being ravished with a sweet sense of…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Now unto the King eternal,.... This doxology, or ascription…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain The King of eternity - A phrase frequent with…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 17. Now unto the King eternal] This burst…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 1Ti 1:17. Now unto the King, &c. — A…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Now unto the king eternal - This ascription of…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain A suitable conclusion to the beautifully simple enunciation of…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 17. Now—But; as rising from himself, the finite, to…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 17. honour and glory] This combination by itself is…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (17) Now unto the King.—The wonderful chain of thoughts…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Incorruptible for immortal, A.V; only God for only wise…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Now unto the King eternal
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 17. Now unto the King. The remembrance of the…
Alexander MacLaren 1905 · Public Domain 1 Timothy
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain immortal incorruptible.

↑ Top

Share