1 Timothy 6:20
Context6:20 O Timothy, protect what has been entrusted to you. Avoid 1 the profane chatter and absurdities 2 of so-called “knowledge.” 3
1 Timothy 6:12
Context6:12 Compete well 4 for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession 5 for 6 in the presence of many witnesses.


[6:20] 1 tn Grk “avoiding.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[6:20] 2 tn Or “contradictions.”
[6:20] 3 tn Grk “the falsely named knowledge.”
[6:12] 4 tn This phrase literally means “compete in the good competition of the faith,” using words that may refer to a race or to a boxing or wrestling match: “run the good race” or “fight the good fight.” The similar phrase in 1 Tim 1:18 uses a military picture and is more literally “war the good warfare.”
[6:12] 5 sn At some point in Timothy’s life, he publicly acknowledged Jesus as the resurrected Lord, perhaps either at his baptism or his ordination as a minister of the gospel. With this reminder of the historical moment of his good confession, Timothy is encouraged to remain steadfast in his faith and to finish his life as a minister in the same way it began (see G. W. Knight, Pastoral Epistles [NIGTC], 264-65).