Godly

"The godly" (Hebrew hasid, "faithful one"; Greek eusebeis) designates in Scripture those who are characterized by devoted loyalty to God — not merely moral rectitude but a relationship of trust, love, and covenant fidelity. The Psalms frequently contrast the godly (hasidim) with the wicked: God preserves the godly (Ps. 4:3; 12:1; 32:6; 37:28; 97:10; 145:17) while the way of the wicked will perish. The godly person is defined not by a fixed ethical checklist but by orientation toward God — "the LORD is near to all who call on him" (Ps. 145:18). In the NT epistles, eusebeia (godliness, piety) is a key term for the comprehensive orientation of a Christian life toward God. Paul contrasts the godly life of suffering and witness with empty religiosity (2 Tim. 3:1–5, 12): "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim. 3:12). Peter exhorts believers to pursue godliness as one of the key virtues of Christian growth (2 Pet. 1:6–7) and grounds the moral imperative eschatologically: "Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness" (2 Pet. 3:11). Paul summarizes: "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6).