What does "godliness" mean?

Question

The word godliness is used 10-15 times in the New Testament (depending on which translation you use), most frequently in the books of 1 Timothy and 2 Peter. Some notable passages:

2 Peter 1:5-7

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

1 Timothy 6:11

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

I want to say that godliness means "to be God-like" but these passages I quoted seem to be saying something different. They include godliness in a list among other virtues, implying that it is a peer of those virtues as opposed to being all-encompassing in the way that "Christ-like" is.

Answer 1

The Greek word in both of those passages is "εὐσέβεια", or "reverence towards the gods or parents" (LSJ). Its primary root, "σέβομαι", connotes a sense of awe or dread of a greater power; the "εὐ" prefix appears to soften that to just the "good kinds" of awe: not fear and dread, but proper filial piety or "reverence".

It is not necessarily always about God; there is actually a more specific term, "θεοσέβεια", used in 1 Tim 2:10 and John 9:31, for "fear/reverence toward God". It is only in context that one may learn whether it is directed toward God or some other authority. I daresay there is not enough in either of the two passages you referenced to say for sure; however, it strikes me that in 2nd Peter it may actually be toward one's parents, since it is immediately followed by "brotherly affection" (which one may presume is not directed toward God either).

Regardless, it does not mean "God-like". Wikipedia, of all places, has a solid summary of the vagueness of the translation into English as "godliness".

Answer 2

1 Timothy 3:14-16
The Great Mystery:

¹⁴ These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; ¹⁵ but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. ¹⁶ And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

I believe there is no better explanation of the mystery of godliness than this.

Answer 3

Godliness means to "worship well". Under the old covenant, godliness meant obeying all the statutes and commandments. The closer a man was to this obedience, the more godly/devout he was. Under the new testament, or new covenant, it means to fear God/reverence God or like i said before to 'worship well'. This can only be done when you know the truth and do it by the spirit. Without the truth, you will error. That is why Jesus tells the woman at the well, that you Samaritans worship what you don't know. We Jews worship what we know. But the time is coming and is now come when the true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in truth.

Answer 4

What does “godliness” mean?

2 Peter 1:5-7

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

1 Timothy 6:11 (AMPC)

11 But as for you, O man of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is the loving fear of God and being Christlike), faith, love, steadfastness (patience), and gentleness of heart.

What does “godliness” mean?

The AMPC above describes "godliness" as "the loving fear of God and being Christlike."

How do we practice "godliness" or devotion towards God", "Having loving fear of God"is not being terrified of him, but like the fear a child has for his father , that does not want to displease him. To practice godliness we need to love God ,to do this we need to get accurate knowledge of him , get to know him personally and become attached to him with our mind and our heart ,and reflect his qualities in our daily lives in all we do .

Ephesians 5:1 (AMPC)

5 "Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]."

To practice godliness we must also give God , our exclusive devotion, he demands it , (but does not force us to worship him) he must come first in our lives and heart, we must pursue godliness by making every effort to clean our lives from actions and words that displease him. And follow the example of Jesus, like him ,having godliness moves us to want to please him in all we do.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NET Bible)

31 "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God."