This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
These 'faithful sayings' (1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 3:1; 2 Timothy 2:11) are samples of the prophesyings or inspired utterances of the apostolic Church: 1 Timothy 4:1 refers to them: they here take the place of Old Testament quotations in the other letter. This verse confirms 1 Timothy 4:8, and introduces 1 Timothy 4:10, which is joined to 1 Timothy 4:9 by "for." So 2 Timothy 2:11. Godly men seem to lose in this life; but "God, is the Saviour specially of those that believe" (1 Timothy 4:10), both as to "the life that now is," and as to 'the life to come' (1 Timothy 4:8). Mark 10:30 combines and harmonizes 1 Timothy 4:9 with 2 Timothy 3:12: "an hundredfold now in this time ... with persecutions" (Proverbs 11:4). Mingled blessedness here; unmingled blessedness hereafter.