1st Timothy Chapter 2 verse 8 Holy Bible

ASV 1stTimothy 2:8

I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing.
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BBE 1stTimothy 2:8

It is my desire, then, that in every place men may give themselves to prayer, lifting up holy hands, without wrath or argument.
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DARBY 1stTimothy 2:8

I will therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up pious hands, without wrath or reasoning.
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KJV 1stTimothy 2:8

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
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WBT 1stTimothy 2:8


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WEB 1stTimothy 2:8

I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting.
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YLT 1stTimothy 2:8

I wish, therefore, that men pray in every place, lifting up kind hands, apart from anger and reasoning;
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Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 8. - Desire for will, A.V.; the men for men, A.V.; in every place for everywhere, A.V.; disputing for doubting, A.V. I desire, etc. He takes up the subject again which he had opened in ver. 1, but had somewhat digressed from in vers. 4-7, and gives further directions as to the persons who are to make the prayers spoken of in ver. 1, viz. men (τοὺς ἄνδρας), not women, as it follows more at large in vers. 9-15. The stress is clearly upon "men" (or, "the men" - it makes no difference); and there is no force in Alford's remark that in that case it would have been τοὺς ἄνδρας προσεύχεσθαι. The prayers had been already ordered in ver. 1; the additional detail, that they were to be offered by men, is now added. In every place; not, as Chrysostom thinks, in contrast to the Jewish worship, which was confined to the temple at Jerusalem, but merely meaning wherever a Christian congregation is assembled. Lifting up holy hands. Alford quotes Clem. Ram. 'To the Corinthians,' Ep. 1. 1 Timothy 29: Προσέλθωμεν... ἐν ὁσιότητι ψυχῆς ἁγνὰς καὶ ἀμιάντους χεῖρας αἴρουντες πρὸς αὐτόν (camp. Psalm 26:6; Psalm 28:2; 43:20; 63:4; 2 Chronicles 6:12, 13). Without wrath. It appears from several passages in Chrysostom that the habit of praying angry prayers was not unknown in his day. "Do you pray against your brother? But your prayer is not against him, but against yourself. You provoke God by uttering those impious words, 'Show him the same;' 'So do to him;' 'Smite him;' 'Recompense him;' and much more to the same effect" ('Hom.' 6.). In 'Hom.' 8. his comment on this passage is: "Without bearing malice.... Let no one approach each God in enmity, or in an unsalable temper." And disputing (διαλογισμοῦ). The exact meaning of διαλογισμός is perhaps best seen in Luke 5:21, 22, where both the verb and the substantive are used. The διαλογισμοὶ are carillings, questionings proceeding from a captious, unbelieving spirit. They are διαλογισμοὶ πονηροὶ (Matthew 15:19). The word is always used in a bad sense in the New Testament. Forms of prayer were not yet established in the Church, but these cautious show the need of them.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(8) I will therefore.--The Apostle here again turns to the subject of "public prayer," now giving directions respecting the persons who should offer their prayers, and also telling them how these public requests to God should be made. "I will therefore" expresses on St. Paul's part no mere wish or desire, but it is the expression of his solemn apostolical authority. It might be rendered, I desire therefore.That men pray every where . . .--Better rendered, in every place. The greater liberty which women, under the teaching of Christ, had enjoyed; the new position they occupied in the Christian commonwealth; the distinguished services many of them had been permitted to accomplish in the Master's service--in such instances as the Marys, Dorcas, Priscilla, Lydia, and others--had no doubt contributed to a certain self-assertion on the part of female converts in the Ephesian congregations, which threatened grave disorders in the conduct of divine worship. St. Paul, in his directions respecting divine service in the Christian assemblies, follows the custom here of the Jewish synagogue, where women were forbidden to speak. Men, said St. Paul, in every place where a congregation in the name of Christ was gathered together, were to be the offerers of prayer. The word "everywhere" seems a memory of the Lord's words to the woman of Samaria, "Believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father."Lifting up holy hands.--It was the Jewish practice, not only in taking a solemn oath--or in blessing--but also in prayer, to lift up the hands--Compare Psalm 28:2; Psalm 63:4. This seems to have been generally adopted by the early Christians as the attitude in prayer. See Clem. Rom., To the Corinthians, chap. 29 "Holy hands;" see Psalm 24:4; Psalm 26:6; "holy"--that is, unstained with wanton sins.Without wrath and doubting.--Here allusion is doubtless made to religious disputes and contentions among the believers themselves--"doubting" is better translated by disputing. These angry feelings can have no place in the heart of one who really prays, whether in public or in private. . . .