1 Timothy 1:7

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 Timothy 3:13

3:13 For those who have served well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves ²  and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. ³ 

1 Timothy 1:19

1:19 To do this ⁴  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 Timothy 1:4

1:4 nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. ⁵  Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan ⁶  that operates by faith.

1 Timothy 1:18

1:18 I put this charge ⁷  before you, Timothy my child, in keeping with the prophecies once spoken about you, ⁸  in order that with such encouragement ⁹  you may fight the good fight.

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

[3:13]  ² sn The statement those who have served well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves is reminiscent of Jesus’ teaching (Matt 20:26-28; Mark 10:43-45) that the one who wishes to be great must be a servant (διάκονος [diakonos], used here of deacons) of all, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve (διακονέω [diakonew], as in 1 Tim 3:10, 13).

[3:13]  ³ sn In the phrase the faith that is in Christ Jesus, the term faith seems to mean “what Christians believe, Christian truth,” rather than personal trust in Christ. So the whole phrase could mean that others will come to place greater confidence in them regarding Christian truth; but the word “confidence” is much more likely to refer to their own boldness to act on the truth of their convictions.

[1:19]  ³ 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…”

[1:4]  ⁴ sn Myths and interminable genealogies. These myths were legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 4:7; 2 Tim 4:4; and Titus 1:14. They were perhaps built by speculation from the patriarchal narratives in the OT; hence the connection with genealogies and with wanting to be teachers of the law (v. 7).

[1:4]  ⁵ tc A few Western mss (D* latt Ir) read οἰκοδομήν (oikodomhn, “[God’s] edification”) rather than οἰκονομίαν (oikonomian, “[God’s] redemptive plan”), which is read by the earliest and best witnesses.

[1:18]  ⁵ sn This charge refers to the task Paul described to Timothy in vv. 3-7 above.

[1:18]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ tn Grk “that by them you might fight…” (a reference to the prophecies which can encourage him in his work).