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For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the Man Christ Jesus,
1 Timothy 2:5 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
  • KJV For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
  • BSB For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
  • NKJV For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
  • NLT For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

There is one God and one mediator, the man Christ Jesus. It declares the exclusive way of access to God through Christ alone.

Overview

Paul affirms monotheism and the unique mediation of the man Christ Jesus. Only One who is both fully God and fully man can bridge God and humanity. This verse is a cornerstone of the gospel's claim that salvation is found in Christ alone.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 22

  • 1 Cor 8:6yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.
  • Gal 3:20Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one.
  • Heb 9:15For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
  • Heb 7:25Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them.
  • Deut 6:4Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God. Yahweh is one.
  • Heb 12:24to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.
  • John 1:14The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
  • Isa 44:6This is what Yahweh, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Yahweh of Armies, says: “I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.
  • Phil 2:6–8who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,
  • Rom 3:29–30Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
  • John 17:3This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
  • Rom 10:12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.
  • Heb 8:6But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which on better promises has been given as law.
  • Eph 4:6one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all.
  • Mark 12:29–33Jesus answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one:
  • Heb 2:6–13But one has somewhere testified, saying, “What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him?
  • Luke 2:10–11The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
  • 1 Cor 15:45–47So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
  • 1 Cor 8:4Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one.
  • Job 9:33There is no umpire between us, that might lay his hand on us both.
  • Rev 1:13And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest.
  • Matt 1:23“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel”; which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 1 Timothy videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 1 Timothy 2:5YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 1 TimothyMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

There is 'one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all' — the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh.

How 1 Timothy 2:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.