Here are a few versions of the verse:
(1 Timothy 6:16)
NASB: who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
NKJV: who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
CSB: who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see, to him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
The problem is that these and the others I looked at all apparently say only the Trinity is or has or possesses immortality. However, every born anew believer has "put on" immortality, 1 Corinthians 15:53-54. So what is the actual message of our verse?
The Greek word (G110 echo) means to (1) hold something, (2) possess something, (3) to be something, and (4) to cling to something. All the above translations go with the second meaning, to possess something, i.e.. immortality. However since every born anew believer also "possesses" immortality, that choice of meaning seems off target. I think meaning number 3 is the actual intended message, the Trinity is, was and always will be immortal. It is a core attribute, not something acquired or held.
The Greek word (echo) could be rendered "manifesting" which gets at revealing an attribute, and using that verb choice, then the literal "immortality" fits perfectly. So with this effort we get "the only one manifesting immortality...." This verb choice points both to the manifestation of the eternal attribute of the Trinity, and the gift from God of eternal life to born anew believers.
But an overlap problem arises with "manifesting" because another Greek word is commonly rendered as manifestation. Conveniently, after searching the list of synonyms, "demonstrating" also falls withing the meaning range of "echo" and its usage does not as significantly overlap with the rendering of other Greek words.
Thus our first clarifying alternate literal choice results in "the one demonstrating immortality and dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen."
(1 Timothy 6:16)
NASB: who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
NKJV: who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
CSB: who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see, to him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
The problem is that these and the others I looked at all apparently say only the Trinity is or has or possesses immortality. However, every born anew believer has "put on" immortality, 1 Corinthians 15:53-54. So what is the actual message of our verse?
The Greek word (G110 echo) means to (1) hold something, (2) possess something, (3) to be something, and (4) to cling to something. All the above translations go with the second meaning, to possess something, i.e.. immortality. However since every born anew believer also "possesses" immortality, that choice of meaning seems off target. I think meaning number 3 is the actual intended message, the Trinity is, was and always will be immortal. It is a core attribute, not something acquired or held.
The Greek word (echo) could be rendered "manifesting" which gets at revealing an attribute, and using that verb choice, then the literal "immortality" fits perfectly. So with this effort we get "the only one manifesting immortality...." This verb choice points both to the manifestation of the eternal attribute of the Trinity, and the gift from God of eternal life to born anew believers.
But an overlap problem arises with "manifesting" because another Greek word is commonly rendered as manifestation. Conveniently, after searching the list of synonyms, "demonstrating" also falls withing the meaning range of "echo" and its usage does not as significantly overlap with the rendering of other Greek words.
Thus our first clarifying alternate literal choice results in "the one demonstrating immortality and dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen."
