1 Timothy 6:12

6:12 Compete well ¹  for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession ²  for ³  in the presence of many witnesses.

1 Timothy 6:2

6:2 But those who have believing masters must not show them less respect ⁴  because they are brothers. Instead they are to serve all the more, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved. ⁵ 

Summary of Timothy’s Duties

Teach them and exhort them about these things. ⁶ 

1 Timothy 1:8

1:8 But we know that the law is good if someone uses it legitimately,

Revelation 7:14

7:14 So ⁷  I said to him, “My lord, you know the answer.” ⁸  Then ⁹  he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They ¹⁰  have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!

¹ 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.”

² 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).

³ tn Grk “confessed the good confession.”

⁴ tn Or “think the less of them”; Grk “despise them,” “look down on them.”

⁵ tn Or “those who devote themselves to service are faithful and dearly loved” (referring to slaves who serve them).

⁶ tn Grk “these things teach and exhort.”

⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the previous question.

⁸ tn Though the expression “the answer” is not in the Greek text, it is clearly implied. Direct objects in Greek were frequently omitted when clear from the context.

⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

¹⁰ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.