1 Timothy 1 14

1 Timothy 1:14 kjv

And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1:14 nkjv

And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1:14 niv

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1:14 esv

and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1:14 nlt

Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1 verses

1 Timothy 1 14 Meaning

The apostle Paul, reflecting on his past as a persecutor of the Church, declares that the unmerited favor and divine enabling of Jesus Christ poured out upon him were not merely sufficient, but superabundant, overflowing beyond measure. This lavish grace was inextricably coupled with the foundational Christian virtues of faith, an active trust in God, and love, a self-sacrificial regard for others, both of which are given to believers through their union with Christ Jesus. It emphasizes that divine grace empowers and produces genuine godliness, even in the unlikeliest of individuals.

1 Timothy 1 14 Context

This verse is embedded within Paul’s introductory greetings and his personal testimony of conversion and call to ministry, found in 1 Timothy 1:12-17. Prior to verse 14, Paul gratefully acknowledges God's enablement for service, despite his past as a persecutor of Christians (vv. 12-13). He emphasizes that he acted "ignorantly in unbelief." Verse 14 then explains how such a transformation was possible: not through his merit, but through the overwhelming, abundant grace of God, which also supplied the essential spiritual qualities of faith and love, foundational for true Christian life and ministry. It serves as a direct counter-example to the legalism and false teaching concerning the law that Paul addresses in the preceding verses (vv. 3-11), underscoring that salvation and spiritual enablement come by grace through Christ, not by adherence to human-made rules or misinterpretations of the Law.

1 Timothy 1 14 Word analysis

• And: A simple conjunction connecting this statement to Paul's previous reflections on God's mercy and his unworthiness, showing a continuous thought.
• the grace: Greek: χάρις (charis). Refers to God's undeserved, unmerited favor. In Christian theology, it signifies God's loving and merciful action towards humanity, independent of human merit, bestowing blessing and strength.
• of our Lord: Greek: τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν (tou Kyriou hēmōn). Refers to Jesus Christ, establishing the divine source of this grace. The use of "Lord" affirms His deity and authority.
• was exceeding abundant: Greek: ὑπερεπλεόνασεν (hyperepleonasen). This is a strong verb, combining "hyper" (over, above, beyond) with "pleonazo" (to abound, to increase). It translates to "super-abounded," "overflowed beyond measure," "was made to overflow exceedingly." It conveys not just sufficiency but an overflowing, overwhelming, and lavish supply. This intensity emphasizes the magnanimity of God's grace in transforming Paul from a persecutor to an apostle.
• with: Greek: μετά (meta). Here indicating accompaniment or consequence; this grace did not come alone but brought with it, or produced, faith and love.
• faith: Greek: πίστις (pistis). Not just intellectual assent, but active trust, belief, and faithfulness. It is a gift that enables a personal relationship with God.
• and: Connects faith and love as companion virtues flowing from divine grace.
• love: Greek: ἀγάπη (agape). Unconditional, self-sacrificial, divine love that characterizes God Himself and is manifest in Christ. This love is distinct from human affection; it's a profound spiritual virtue empowered by God.
• which is in Christ Jesus: Greek: τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ (tēs en Christō Iēsou). A crucial Pauline theological phrase. "In Christ" describes the sphere, source, and reality of Christian existence and blessings. All genuine grace, faith, and love for believers find their origin, meaning, and power in a saving relationship with Christ Jesus. It implies that these virtues are not innate human capacities but spiritual realities imparted through union with Christ.

Words-group analysis

• "the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant": This phrase highlights the sheer scale and generosity of God's unmerited favor. It emphasizes God's initiative and transformative power, demonstrating that no sin is too great for God's grace to overcome and surpass.
• "with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus": This connects God's abundant grace directly with the resulting spiritual virtues. Grace is not passive; it actively produces and cultivates faith and love in the believer. The qualifier "which is in Christ Jesus" specifies that these virtues are not generated by human effort or will, but are inherent aspects of salvation and sanctification found solely through union with Christ. They are gifts received and capacities developed within this divine relationship.

1 Timothy 1 14 Bonus section

The term ὑπερεπλεόνασεν (hyperepleonasen) is a very rare and emphatic verb in the New Testament, uniquely used here by Paul. Its use signifies a level of abundance that transcends all expectation or measure, strongly conveying Paul's sense of astonishment at God's overwhelming favor. This choice of word underlines the deeply personal and profound impact God's grace had on Paul's life and validates his ministry despite his former opposition to Christ. This abundant grace also sets the foundation for his teaching in 1 Timothy against those who would rely on works of the law, reminding the readers that salvation is purely a work of God's lavish and unmerited favor, enabling both spiritual change and service. It provides assurance that if God's grace could radically transform the greatest persecutor into the greatest apostle, it can certainly redeem and use anyone.

1 Timothy 1 14 Commentary

1 Timothy 1:14 is a profound declaration of the Gospel's transforming power. Paul, who described himself as the "chief of sinners" in the subsequent verse (v. 15), emphasizes that the grace of Jesus Christ was not merely adequate for his redemption but "exceedingly abundant," overflowing every boundary of his past sin and unworthiness. This dynamic grace didn't just forgive Paul; it actively cultivated and imparted "faith and love." These aren't just human emotions but divine virtues essential to the Christian life, and their origin is firmly rooted "in Christ Jesus." This verse showcases the complete sufficiency and active nature of God's grace, which not only pardons but empowers and equips for a life of righteousness and service. It illustrates that spiritual growth and character transformation (faith and love) are direct results of God's abundant grace experienced through a relationship with Jesus Christ, underscoring that divine provision always exceeds human need and limitation.

• Practical example: Just as a fertile river overflows its banks during a flood, spreading life-giving waters far beyond its usual confines, God's grace can overwhelm and transform a life previously defined by barrenness or sin, producing an unexpected flourishing of faith and love.