1 Timothy 1:6-20

1:6 Some have strayed from these and turned away to empty discussion. 1:7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or the things they insist on so confidently. ¹ 

1:8 But we know that the law is good if someone uses it legitimately, 1:9 realizing that law ²  is not intended for a righteous person, but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 1:10 sexually immoral people, practicing homosexuals, ³  kidnappers, liars, perjurers – in fact, for any who live contrary to sound teaching. 1:11 This ⁴  accords with the glorious gospel of the blessed God ⁵  that was entrusted to me. ⁶ 

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 ⁷  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. ⁸  1:15 This saying ⁹  is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst of them! ¹⁰  1:16 But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that ¹¹  in me as the worst, ¹²  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, ¹³  immortal, invisible, the only ¹⁴  God, be honor and glory forever and ever! ¹⁵  Amen.

1:18 I put this charge ¹⁶  before you, Timothy my child, in keeping with the prophecies once spoken about you, ¹⁷  in order that with such encouragement ¹⁸  you may fight the good fight. 1:19 To do this ¹⁹  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 ²⁰  to be taught not to blaspheme.

[1:7]  ¹ tn The Greek reinforces this negation: “understand neither what they are saying nor the things they insist on…”

[1:9]  ² sn Law. There is no definite article (“the”) with this word in Greek and so the inherent quality of the OT law as such is in view. But the OT law is still in mind, since the types of sinful people surveyed in vv. 9b-11a follow the general outline of sins prohibited in the Decalogue.

[1:10]  ³ tn On this term BDAG 135 s.v. ἀρσενοκοίτης states, “a male who engages in sexual activity w. a pers. of his own sex, pederast 1 Cor 6:9…of one who assumes the dominant role in same-sex activity, opp. μαλακός…1 Ti 1:10; Pol 5:3. Cp. Ro 1:27.” L&N 88.280 states, “a male partner in homosexual intercourse – ‘homosexual.’…It is possible that ἀρσενοκοίτης in certain contexts refers to the active male partner in homosexual intercourse in contrast with μαλακός, the passive male partner” (cf. 1 Cor 6:9). Since there is a distinction in contemporary usage between sexual orientation and actual behavior, the qualification “practicing” was supplied in the translation, following the emphasis in BDAG.

[1:11]  ⁴ tn A continuation of the preceding idea: Grk “teaching, according to the gospel.” This use of the law is in accord with the gospel entrusted to Paul (cf. Rom 7:7-16; Gal 3:23-26). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[1:11]  ⁵ tn Grk “the gospel of the glory of the blessed God.”

[1:11]  ⁶ tn Grk “with which I was entrusted.” The translation is more in line with contemporary English style.

[1:13]  ⁷ tn Or “violent,” “cruel.”

[1:14]  ⁸ tn Grk “with faith and love in Christ Jesus.”

[1:15]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “of whom I am the first.”

[1:16]  ¹¹ tn Grk “but because of this I was treated with mercy, so that…”

[1:16]  ¹² tn Grk “in me first,” making the connection with the last phrase of v. 15.

[1:17]  ¹³ tn Or more literally, “king of the ages.”

[1:17]  ¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “unto the ages of the ages,” an emphatic way of speaking about eternity in Greek.

[1:18]  ¹⁶ sn This charge refers to the task Paul described to Timothy in vv. 3-7 above.

[1:18]  ¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “that by them you might fight…” (a reference to the prophecies which can encourage him in his work).

[1:19]  ¹⁹ 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]  ²⁰ 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.