GODLY. Several Heb. and Gr. expressions are tr. by this term in Eng. VSS. חָסִיד, H2883, (Ps 4:3; 12:1; 32:6) means basically kindness; the godly man is the man who has experienced and reflects the gracious kindness of God. In Malachi 2:15, “a godly seed,” אֱלֹהִים, H466, “of God” is used; a “godly seed” means offspring spiritually and ethically in a right relationship to God. In the NT “godly” (adjective) is tr. from εὐσεβής, G2356, in 2 Peter 2:9, the idea being pious, reverential. The same Gr. word is rendered “devout” in Acts 10:2 (of Cornelius). As adverb, “godly” is tr. from the related Gr. term εὐσεβῶς, G2357, in 2 Timothy 3:12 RSV; Titus 2:12.

In another class of NT passages “godly” is tr. from Gr. phrases containing the name God θεός, G2536, gen. θεοῦ as in 2 Corinthians 1:12, (“godly sincerity”); 11:2 (“godly jealousy”); 1 Tim 1:4 (“godly edifying”). In 3 John 6 KJV, “after a godly sort” (RSV, “as befits God’s service”) is literally “worthily of God,” ἀξίως τοῦ Θεοῦ. In 2 Corinthians 7:9, 10, 11 “godly is κατὰ̀ Θεόν, “according to God.”

Summary. The term “godly” describes persons or actions which are more than merely moral and/or religious. It includes the ideas of personal relationship and sincere practical devotion to the true God. See Godliness.

Bibliography HBD (1923), II, 222. ISBE (1929), II, 1270.