I suppose that depends on which Bible version one uses friend.
Let's look at it
King James Bible
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Young's Literal Translation
who doth will all men to be saved, and to come to the full knowledge of the truth;
Greek and Hebrew Reader Online
4 ὃς πάντας ἀνθρώπους
θέλει σωθῆναι καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν.
G2309 (NKJV)
G2309 θέλω (
thelō), occurs 213 times in 201 verses
2309. thelo thel'-o or ethelo eth-el'-o, in certain tenses theleo thel-eh'-o, and etheleo eth-el-eh'-o, which are otherwise obsolete apparently strengthened from the alternate form of 138;
to determine (as an active option from subjective impulse; whereas 1014 properly denotes rather a passive acquiescence in objective considerations), i.e. choose or prefer (literally or figuratively); by implication, to wish, i.e. be inclined to (sometimes adverbially, gladly); impersonally for the future tense, to be about to; by Hebraism, to delight in:--desire, be disposed (forward), intend, list, love, mean, please, have rather, (be) will (have, -ling, - ling(-ly)).
===================
1 Timothy 2:4 Commentaries biblehub
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
4.
who will have] The exact rendering is that of R.V.
who willeth that all men should he saved—not the stronger word bouletai, ‘desireth,’ with a definite purpose. Chrysostom’s comment is “if He willed to save all, do thou will it also; and if thou willest, pray for it”: and Theod. Mops, in the Latin translation “evidens est quoniam omnes vult salvari, quia et omnes tuetur, quia est omnium Dominus.”
Thus
the Greek fathers accepted St Paul’s words in their prima facie sense.
The Latin fathers seek to guard their application; and St Augustine actually says “by ‘all’ understand ‘all the predestined,’ because men of all sorts are among them.” The phrase is not “willeth to save all,” which would have been very near to universalism; but there is implied “the human acceptance of offered salvation on which even God’s predestination is contingent” Alford.
be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth] Notice the order of the words; salvation is according to the N. T. usage, past, present and future.
============
Bengel's Gnomen
1 Timothy 2:4. Πάντας) all, not merely a part, much less a very small part;
1 Timothy 2:3, note.—ἀνθρώπους, men) lost in themselves.—θέλει,
[‘wills’] wishes) in serious earnestness of wish: ibid.—σωθῆναι, to be saved) This is treated of, at
1 Timothy 2:5-6.—Καὶ εἰς, and unto) This is treated of, at
1 Timothy 2:6-7.—ἀληθείας) of saving truth.—ἐλθεῖν, to come) They are not forced.
=====================
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 4. - Willeth that all men should be saved for will have all men to be saved, A.V.; come to for to come unto, A.V. All men, etc.; to show that it is in accordance with God's will to pray for "all men" (ver. 1). (For the doctrinal statement, comp. ver. 6;
Titus 2:11;
2 Peter 3:9, etc.)
==========
Vincent's Word Studies
Who will have all men to be saved (ὃς πάντας ἀνθρώπους θέλει σωθῆναι)
Lit, who willeth all men, etc. As who, or seeing that he, giving the ground of the previous statement. Prayer to God for all is acceptable to him, because he wills the salvation of all. Θέλει willeth, marking a determinate purpose.
Come to the knowledge of the truth (εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν)
The phrase only here and
2 Timothy 3:7. Ἑπίγνωσις is a favorite Pauline word. See on
Romans 3:20; see on
Colossians 1:9; see on
1 Timothy 2:4; see on
1 Timothy 4:3. It signifies advanced or full knowledge. The difference between the simple γνῶσις and the compound word is illustrated in
Romans 1:21,
Romans 1:28, and
1 Corinthians 13:12. In N.T. always of the knowledge of things ethical or divine, and never ascribed to God. For ἀλήθεια truth, see on sound doctrine,
1 Timothy 1:10. It appears 14 times in the Pastorals, and always without a defining genitive. So, often in Paul, but several times with a defining genitive, as truth of God, of Christ, of the gospel.
