Greek word · G5624

ὠφέλιμος

ōphelimos

valuable

Useful, beneficial, helpful, advantageous. A very common general word in Greek for whatever does someone good.

Appears 4 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ὠφέλιμος, -ον

(ὠφελέω),

useful, serviceable, profitable: with dative commod., Titus 3:8; before πρός, with accusative, 1 Timothy 4:8, 2 Timothy 3:16.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 1 Timothy 4:8

Range of meaning

Useful, beneficial, helpful, advantageous. A very common general word in Greek for whatever does someone good.

Against the English

KJV 'profiteth… profitable', BSB/WEB 'value… valuable', NIV/ESV 'value'. 'Profit' today usually means financial gain, which the Greek does not mean.

How it drifted

In 1611 'profit' broadly meant 'benefit, be of use'. Its modern sense has narrowed to money.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the New Testament it occurs only in the letters to Timothy and Titus: here twice, 2 Timothy 3:16 (Scripture 'useful for teaching') and Titus 3:8 (good works 'profitable for people'). It is widespread in Greek moral writing for what truly benefits a person.

Where it appears

1 Timothy · 2

  1. 1 Timothy 4:8 ὠφέλιμος, ὠφέλιμός profit,, profitable

    For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.

    Here: 'Of benefit, helpful.' The verse grants bodily training real usefulness, only a limited one. It is not a word for money profit.

2 Timothy · 1

  1. 2 Timothy 3:16 ὠφέλιμος profitable

    All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

    Here: A down-to-earth word for something that does you real good. The Pastoral letters use it of godliness (1 Tim 4:8) and of good works (Titus 3:8). The weight of the sentence shifts here, from where scripture comes from to what it does.

Titus · 1

  1. Titus 3:8 ὠφέλιμα profitable

    This saying is trustworthy. And I want you to emphasize these things, so that those who have believed God will take care to devote themselves to good deeds. These things are excellent and profitable for the people.

    Here: Of real use, doing real good. Verse 9 calls the controversies anōpheleis, "un-useful." The two words are deliberately set against each other.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.