1 Timothy 1:12-20

1:12 I am grateful to the one who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me faithful in putting me into ministry, 1:13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor, and an arrogant ¹  man. But I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief, 1:14 and our Lord’s grace was abundant, bringing faith and love in Christ Jesus. ²  1:15 This saying ³  is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst of them! ⁴  1:16 But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that ⁵  in me as the worst, ⁶  Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life. 1:17 Now to the eternal king, ⁷  immortal, invisible, the only ⁸  God, be honor and glory forever and ever! ⁹  Amen.

1:18 I put this charge ¹⁰  before you, Timothy my child, in keeping with the prophecies once spoken about you, ¹¹  in order that with such encouragement ¹²  you may fight the good fight. 1:19 To do this ¹³  you must hold firmly to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck in regard to the faith. 1:20 Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan ¹⁴  to be taught not to blaspheme.

[1:13]  ¹ tn Or “violent,” “cruel.”

[1:14]  ² tn Grk “with faith and love in Christ Jesus.”

[1:15]  ³ tn Grk “the saying,” referring to the following citation (see 1 Tim 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11; Titus 3:8 for other occurrences of this phrase).

[1:15]  ⁴ tn Grk “of whom I am the first.”

[1:16]  ⁵ tn Grk “but because of this I was treated with mercy, so that…”

[1:16]  ⁶ tn Grk “in me first,” making the connection with the last phrase of v. 15.

[1:17]  ⁷ tn Or more literally, “king of the ages.”

[1:17]  ⁸ tc Most later witnesses (א² D¹ H^c Ψ 1881 Ï) have “wise” (σόφῳ, swfw) here (thus, “the only wise God”), while the earlier and better witnesses (א* A D* F G H* 33 1739 lat co) lack this adjective. Although it could be argued that the longer reading is harder since it does not as emphatically affirm monotheism, it is more likely that scribes borrowed σόφῳ from Rom 16:27 where μόνῳ σόφῳ θεῷ (monw sofw qew, “the only wise God”) is textually solid.

[1:17]  ⁹ tn Grk “unto the ages of the ages,” an emphatic way of speaking about eternity in Greek.

[1:18]  ¹⁰ sn This charge refers to the task Paul described to Timothy in vv. 3-7 above.

[1:18]  ¹¹ sn The prophecies once spoken about you were apparently spoken at Timothy’s ordination (cf. 1 Tim 4:14) and perhaps spoke of what God would do through him. Thus they can encourage him in his work, as the next clause says.

[1:18]  ¹² tn Grk “that by them you might fight…” (a reference to the prophecies which can encourage him in his work).

[1:19]  ¹³ tn In Greek this continues the same sentence from v. 18, a participle showing the means by which Timothy will accomplish his task: Grk “fight the good fight, holding firmly…”

[1:20]  ¹⁴ sn The expression handed over to Satan refers to an act of discipline mentioned by Paul here and in 1 Cor 5:5, with a remedial goal, not a punitive one. The Greek word translated taught in this verse is used of “discipline, training of children” to lead them to correct behavior.