1 Timothy 1:12-17

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.

[1:13]  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.