Acts 16:1-2

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16:1 He also came to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but whose father was a Greek. 16:2 The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.

Colossians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, 10  an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

Colossians 1:19

1:19 For God 11  was pleased to have all his 12  fullness dwell 13  in the Son 14 

Philippians 2:19

Models for Ministry

2:19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you.

Philippians 2:1

Christian Unity and Christ’s Humility

2:1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, 15  any affection or mercy, 16 

Philippians 1:1-2

Salutation

1:1 From Paul 17  and Timothy, slaves 18  of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, 19  with the overseers 20  and deacons. 1:2 Grace and peace to you 21  from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Philippians 1:2

1:2 Grace and peace to you 22  from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!


sn Derbe was a city in Lycaonia about 35 mi (60 km) southeast of Lystra. It was about 90 mi (145 km) from Tarsus.

sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 25 mi (40 km) south of Iconium.

tn Grk “And behold, a disciple.” Here ἰδού (idou) has not been translated.

tn L&N 31.103 translates this phrase “the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer.”

sn His father was a Greek. Timothy was the offspring of a mixed marriage between a Jewish woman (see 2 Tim 1:5) and a Gentile man. On mixed marriages in Judaism, see Neh 13:23-27; Ezra 9:1-10:44; Mal 2:10-16; Jub. 30:7-17; m. Qiddushin 3.12; m. Yevamot 7.5.

sn Lystra was a city in Lycaonia about 25 mi (40 km) south of Iconium.

sn Iconium was a city in Lycaonia about 110 mi (175 km) east of Pisidian Antioch.

tn For this sense of μαρτυρέω (marturew), see BDAG 618 s.v. 2.b.

tn Grk “who was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.” Because of the awkwardness in English of having two relative clauses follow one another (“who was a believer…who was well spoken of”) and the awkwardness of the passive verb (“was well spoken of”), the relative pronoun at the beginning of 16:2 (“who”) has been translated as a pronoun (“him”) and the construction converted from passive to active at the same time a new sentence was started in the translation.

10 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

11 tn The noun “God” does not appear in the Greek text, but since God is the one who reconciles the world to himself (cf. 2 Cor 5:19), he is clearly the subject of εὐδόκησεν (eudokhsen).

12 tn The Greek article τό (to), insofar as it relates to God, may be translated as a possessive pronoun, i.e., “his.” BDAG 404 s.v. εὐδοκέω 1 translates the phrase as “all the fullness willed to dwell in him” thus leaving the referent as impersonal. Insofar as Paul is alluding to the so-called emanations from God this is acceptable. But the fact that “the fullness” dwells in a person (i.e., “in him”) seems to argue for the translation “his fullness” where “his” refers to God.

13 tn The aorist verb κατοικῆσαι (katoikhsai) could be taken as an ingressive, in which case it refers to the incarnation and may be translated as “begin to dwell, to take up residence.” It is perhaps better, though, to take it as a constative aorist and simply a reference to the fact that the fullness of God dwells in Jesus Christ. This is a permanent dwelling, though, not a temporary one, as the present tense in 2:9 makes clear.

14 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the Son; see v. 13) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

15 tn Or “spiritual fellowship” if πνεύματος (pneumato") is an attributive genitive; or “fellowship brought about by the Spirit” if πνεύματος is a genitive of source or production.

16 tn Grk “and any affection and mercy.” The Greek idea, however, is best expressed by “or” in English.

17 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

18 tn Traditionally, “servants” or “bondservants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

19 map For location see JP1-C1; JP2-C1; JP3-C1; JP4-C1.

20 sn The overseers (or “church leaders,” L&N 53.71) is another term for the same official position of leadership as the “elder.” This is seen in the interchange of the two terms in Titus 1:6-7 and in Acts 20:17, 28, as well as in the parallels between Titus 1:6-7 and 1 Tim 3:1-7.

21 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”

22 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”