Passage

1 Timothy 2.3-4

Book: 1 Timothy · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men; 2. for kings and all that are in high place; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity."

"3. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4. who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth."

"5. For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus, 6. who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony to be borne in its own times;" (1 Timothy 2:1-6, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks, be made for all men: 2. for kings and all who are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence."

"3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4. who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth."

"5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6. who gave himself as a ransom for all; the testimony in its own times;" (1 Timothy 2:1-6, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; ^{exhort: or, desire} 2. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. ^{authority: or, eminent place}"

"3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."

"5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6. Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. ^{to: or, a testimony}" (1 Timothy 2:1-6, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. I exhort, then, first of all, there be made supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, for all men: 2. for kings, and all who are in authority, that a quiet and peaceable life we may lead in all piety and gravity,"

"3. for this [is] right and acceptable before God our Saviour, 4. who doth will all men to be saved, and to come to the full knowledge of the truth;"

"5. for one [is] God, one also [is] mediator of God and of men, the man Christ Jesus, 6. who did give himself a ransom for all, the testimony in its own times --" (1 Timothy 2:1-6, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: Paul the Apostle (pastoral epistles period)
Audience: Timothy (pastoral leader at Ephesus)
Location: composed in Macedonia; addressed to Ephesus
Time period: composed c. AD 62-66

Theological reading

Key words

G0225 - aletheia, aletheia (Strong's G225). Also appears in: Mark 12, Luke 22.54-62, John 1.14.
G2316 - theos, theos (Strong's G2316). Also appears in: Matthew 1.23, Matthew 3.16, Matthew 5.9.
G3956 - pas, pas (Strong's G3956). Also appears in: Matthew 1, Matthew 2.1-6, Matthew 2.16.
G4982 - sozo, sozo (Strong's G4982). Also appears in: Matthew 1.21, Matthew 14.22-33, Matthew 16.24-25.
G4990 - soter, soter (Strong's G4990). Also appears in: Luke 1.47, Luke 2.11, Philippians 3.20-21.

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.