1 Timothy 1:9

1 Timothy 1:9

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers or fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

a. NLT: For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders.

b. NIV: We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,

c. YLT: having known this, that for a righteous man law is not set, but for lawless and insubordinate persons, ungodly and sinners, impious and profane, parricides and matricides, men-slayers,

d. Amplified Bible: Knowing and understanding this: that the Law is not enacted for the righteous (the upright and just, who are in right standing with God), but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinful, for the irreverent and profane, for those who strike and beat and [even] murder fathers and strike and beat and [even] murder mothers, for manslayers,

e. Worrell Translation: Knowing this, that law is not enacted for a righteous man, but for lawless and unruly ones, for ungodly and sinful, for unholy and profane, for patricides, and matricides, for man-slayers,

f. Wuest Translation: But we know that the law is good if a person uses it properly, knowing this, that law is not enacted for a law-abiding person, but for lawless ones and for unruly ones, for those who are destitute of reverential awe towards God and for sinners, for unholy ones and for those who are irreligious,for those who ill-treat fathers and ill-treat mothers, for manslayers.

g. Peshitta Eastern Text: Knowing this, that the law is not made for the righteous, but for the wicked and rebellious, for the ungodly, and for sinners, for the profane and unholy, for those who abuse their fathers and ill-treat their mothers, for murderers.

1. “Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man…”

a. knowing [Strong: 1492 eido i'-do; a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know:--be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot.]

b. this [Strong: 5124 touto too'-to;  neuter singular nominative or accusative case of 3778; that thing:--here (-unto), it, partly, self(-same), so, that (intent), the same, there(-fore, -unto), this, thus, where(-fore).]

c. that [Strong: 3754 hoti hot'-ee; neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

d. the law [Strong: 3551 nomos nom'-os; from a primary nemo (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to animals); law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), genitive case (regulation), specially, (of Moses (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively (a principle):--law.]

e. is…made [Strong: 2749 keimai ki'-mahee; middle voice of a primary verb; to lie outstretched (literally or figuratively):--be (appointed, laid up, made, set), lay, lie.]

f. not [Strong: 3756 ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk;  and (before an aspirate) ouch] [Strong: a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

g. righteous [man] [Strong: 1342 dikaios dik'-ah-yos; equitable (in character or act); by implication, innocent, holy (absolutely or relatively):--just, meet, right(-eous).]

1). Albert Barnes Commentary: The law is not made for a righteous man - There has been great variety in the interpretation of this passage. Some suppose that the law here refers to the ceremonial laws of Moses (Clarke, Rosenmuller, Abbot); others to the denunciatory part of the law (Doddridge and Bloomfield); and others that it means that the chief purpose of the law was to restrain the wicked. It seems clear, however, that the apostle does not refer merely to the ceremonial law, for he specifies that which condemns the unholy and profane; the murderers of fathers and mothers; liars and perjured persons. It was not the ceremonial law which condemned these things, but the moral law. It cannot be supposed, moreover, that the apostle meant to say that the law was not binding on a righteous man, or that he was under no obligation to obey it - for he everywhere teaches that the moral law is obligatory on all mankind.

2. “…but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane,

a. but [Strong: 1161 de deh;  a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. for the lawless [Strong: 459 anomos an'-om-os; a-without; nomos-law; lawless, i.e. (negatively) not subject to (the Jewish) law; (by implication, a Gentile), or (positively) wicked:--without law, lawless, transgressor, unlawful, wicked.] [Zodhiates: Not having, knowing or acknowledging the law…lawless in the sense of transgressing the law, a transgressor.] [Vincent: recognizing no law.]

c. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

d. disobedient [Strong: 506 anupotaktos an-oo-pot'-ak-tos from 1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of 5293; unsubdued, i.e. insubordinate (in fact or temper):--disobedient, that is not put under, unruly.] [Zodhiates:  a-without; hupotasso-to subject, sit under in an orderly manner, disobedient to authority.]

e. for the ungodly [Strong: 765 asebes as-eb-ace' from 1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of 4576; irreverent, i.e. (by extension) impious or wicked:-- ungodly (man).] [Zodhiates: a-without; sebomai-to worship, venerate; godless, without fear and reverence for God…one who actively practices the opposite of what the fear of God demands.]

f. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

g. for sinners [Strong: 268 hamartolos ham-ar-to-los' from 264; sinful, i.e. a sinner:--sinful, sinner.] [Zodhaites: to deviate, miss the mark, sin, erring from the way.]

h. for unholy [Strong: 462 anosios an-os'-ee-os from 1 (as a negative particle) and 3741; wicked:--unholy.] [Zodhiates: a-without; hosios-consecrated, hallowed, unpolluted with wickedness, no regard of duty to God or man.]

i. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

j. profane [Strong: 952 bebelos beb'-ay-los from the base of 939 and belos (a threshold); accessible (as by crossing the door-way), i.e. (by implication, of Jewish notions) heathenish, wicked:--profane (person). ] [Zodhiates: properly denoted one who either was or ought to have been debarred from the threshold or, entrance of the temple. Lacks all relationship or affinity to God.]

1). Some of the early laws that were on the books in this nation that mention the word profane or a derivative of it are very enlightening on how far we have moved away from godliness in our national culture.

a). Act Against Drunkenness, Blasphemy, Connecticut, 1737; Act for the Punishment of Profane Cursing and Swearing, New Hampshire, 1791; Act to Prevent the Grievous Sins of Cursing and Swearing, North Carolina, 1700; Act for the More Effectual Suppressing of Blasphemy and Prophaneness, Rhode Island, 1703.”

2). In Roth v. United States, a 1956 Supreme Court case that dealt with  obscenity , Justice Brennan wrote:

a). “The guaranties of freedom of expression in effect in 10 of the 14 States which by 1792 had ratified the Constitution, gave no absolute protection for every utterance. Thirteen of the 14 States provided for the prosecution of libel, and all of those States made either blasphemy or profanity, or both, statutory crimes. As early as 1712, Massachusetts made it criminal to publish “any filthy, obscene, or profane song, pamphlet, libel or mock sermon” in imitation or mimicking of religious services…Thus, profanity and obscenity were related offences.”

b). Under those restrictions most of the movie and television programs produced in this country would be outlawed?

3. “…for murderers or fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,”

a. murderers of fathers [Strong: 3964 patraloias pat-ral-o'-as from 3962 and the same as the latter part of 3389; a parricide:--murderer of fathers.] [Zodhiates: one who murders his father.] [Marvin Vincent’s Word Studies: More literally, smiters of fathers and mothers, though used in Class. [classical Greek and Roman authors] of parricides and matricides. Derived from aloan-to smite or thresh.]

b. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

1). Personally I tend to believe it be more in line with a verse in Exodus where it specifically mentions hitting a father or mother.

2). Exodus 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or mother, shall be surely put to death.

c. murderers of mothers [Strong: 3389 metraloias may-tral-o'-as from 3384 and the base of 257; a mother-thresher, i.e. matricide:--murderer of mothers.] [Zodhiates; one who physically abuses his own mother.]

1). Perhaps though this is somehow a prophetic interjection, how many times in recent memory have we heard of instances of children who murdered their fathers or mothers.

d. for manslayers [Strong: 409 androphonos an-drof-on'-os from 435 and 5408; a murderer:--manslayer.] [Zodhiates: androphonos; aner-man; phonos-murder; a murderer].

1). In this day we have different kinds of manslayers. There are those who murder once, and then there are people who murder more than once. In that group there are different classifications of people who murder more than once. There are mass murderers, spree killers, and serial killers. Such is the last days.