Profitable (5624) (ophelimos) means useful, profitable, serviceable, helpful, beneficial and refers to that which yields advantageous returns or results. It provides something that one needs to attain a certain goal -- in context to be a "man of God". Every Scripture serves to meet the moral and spiritual needs of man. Unfortunately as Charles Colson says “The family Bible is more often used to adorn coffee tables or press flowers than it is to feed souls and discipline lives.” Ophelimos is used 3 times in the NAS 1 Tim. 4:8; 2 Tim. 3:16; Titus 3:8. There are no uses in the Septuagint. In his first epistle Paul uses ophelimos twice to emphasize the temporal and eternal value of godliness reminding Timothy that.. bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1Ti 4:8-note, cp 1Ti 4:7-note, 1Ti 4:9, 10-note) Writing to Titus Paul tells that good deeds are profitable.. This is a trustworthy statement (that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life); and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. (Titus 3:8-note) Just as milk nourishes a baby in ways it does not understand, so God’s Word nourishes us in ways we often do not understand. No matter how deep our understanding of Scripture may be, we still should be able to affirm with the psalmist, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God” My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? (Ps 42:1-note, Ps 42:2-note). We should rejoice with Paul that “we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2Cor 3:18) The profit of Scripture attests to its divine inspiration. Although one might wonder about some of the genealogies or obscure passages, the Spirit-taught mind will realize that there is spiritual nourishment in every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. John Calvin wrote that... We cannot rely on the doctrine of Scripture until we are absolutely convinced that God is its author. John Calvin John Wesley on the "profitability" of "The Book": "I am a creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit, coming from God, and returning to God: just hovering over the great gulf; a few moments hence, I am no more seen; I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing — the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the way. He hath written it down in a book. Oh, give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be homo unius libri: “A man of one book.” Here, then, I am, far from the busy ways of men. I sit down alone; only God is here. In His presence I open, I read His book; for this end — to find the way to heaven." (John Wesley - The Biblical Illustrator) ><>><>><> Thomas Brooks The Scriptures are sufficient... to inform the ignorant, to confute the erroneous, to reform the wicked, and to guide and direct, support and comfort--the godly. Here a lamb may wade--and here an elephant may swim! Here is milk for babes--and meat for strong men! Here is . . . comfort for the afflicted, and support for the tempted, and ease for the troubled, and light for the clouded, and enlargement for the straitened, etc. Oh, how full of light, how full of life, how full of love, how full of sweetness, how full of goodness, how full of righteousness, how full of holiness, etc., is every chapter, and every verse in every chapter, yes, and every line in every verse! No human writings are comparable to Scripture: 1. for antiquity; 2. for rarity; 3. for variety; 4. for brevity; 5. for plainness; 6. for harmony; 7. for verity. All which should greatly encourage Christians, to a serious perusal of them. "Oh, how I love your Law. I meditate on it all day long!" Ps 119:97-note ><>><>><> FOR TEACHING: pros didaskalian: "teach us what is true" (NLT). "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/2_timothy_316-17.htm#profitable