1 Timothy 4:14

4:14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift you have, ¹  given to you and confirmed by prophetic words ²  when the elders laid hands on you. ³ 

1 Timothy 6:12

6:12 Compete well ⁴  for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession ⁵  for ⁶  in the presence of many witnesses.

¹ tn Grk “in you.”

² tn Grk “which was given to you through prophecy.” Here as in 2:15 the preposition “through” denotes not “means” but accompanying circumstances: “accompanied by prophecy.”

³ tn Grk “with the imposition of the hands of the presbytery” (i.e., the council of elders).

⁴ tn This phrase literally means “compete in the good competition of the faith,” using words that may refer to a race or to a boxing or wrestling match: “run the good race” or “fight the good fight.” The similar phrase in 1 Tim 1:18 uses a military picture and is more literally “war the good warfare.”

⁵ sn At some point in Timothy’s life, he publicly acknowledged Jesus as the resurrected Lord, perhaps either at his baptism or his ordination as a minister of the gospel. With this reminder of the historical moment of his good confession, Timothy is encouraged to remain steadfast in his faith and to finish his life as a minister in the same way it began (see G. W. Knight, Pastoral Epistles [NIGTC], 264-65).

⁶ tn Grk “confessed the good confession.”