Ver. 8. Faithful is this saying (that, namely, contained in the immediately preceding verses respecting God’s method of procedure in respect to salvation; for the form of expression, see at 1Ti_1:5); and concerning these things I would have thee strenuously affirm (
äéáâåâáéïῦóèáé
, make asseveration; see at 1Ti_1:7), to the end that they who have believed God be careful to practise good works—
ðñïÀóôáóèáé
, set forward, practise such works. The governing verb
öñïíôßæåéí
, which is sometimes, though rarely, as here, followed by an infinitive, nowhere again occurs in Scripture; but it denotes the application of earnest and continued thought, a careful striving of soul in this direction, that the belief in the doctrines of the gospel should be substantiated by a steady performance of its commanded duties. These things—namely, the things involved in this practical teaching and concern—are good and profitable to men: in themselves good (
êáëὰ
), and in their tendency and results profitable (
ὠöÝëéìá
) to others.