¹ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
²sn God our Savior. Use of the title “Savior” for God the Father is characteristic of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus. It occurs six times in these letters, but only twice elsewhere in the NT. However, it occurs commonly in the OT, especially in Isaiah. It emphasizes the Father as the initiator and source of salvation.
³tn This word implies authoritative instruction: “direct, command, give orders” (cf. 1 Tim 4:11; 5:7; 6:13, 17). See BAGD 613 s.v. paraggevllw.
⁴tn Grk “to teach other doctrines,” different from apostolic teaching (cf. 1 Tim 6:3).
⁵sn 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).
⁶tc A few Western manuscripts (D* syr^{p, h-mg}) read oijkodomhvn (oikodomhn, “God’s edification”) rather than oijkonomivan (oikonomian, “God’s redemptive plan”), which is read by the vast majority of witnesses.
tn More literally, “the administration of God that is by faith.”
sn God’s redemptive plan. The basic word (oijkonomiva, oikonomia) denotes the work of a household steward or manager or the arrangement under which he works: “household management.” As a theological term it is used of the order or arrangement by which God brings redemption through Christ (God’s “dispensation, plan of salvation” [Eph 1:10; 3:9]) or of human responsibility to pass on the message of that salvation (“stewardship, commission” [1 Cor 9:17; Eph 3:2; Col 1:25]). Here the former is in view (see the summary of God’s plan in 1 Tim 2:3-6; 2 Tim 1:9-10; Titus 3:4-7), and Paul notes the response people must make to God’s arrangement: it is “in faith” or “by faith.”
⁷tn Grk “the instruction,” referring to orthodox Christian teaching and ministry in general, in contrast to that of the false teachers mentioned in 1:3-4.
⁸tn Grk “love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
⁹tn The Greek reinforces this negation: “understand neither what they are saying nor the things they insist on…”
¹⁰sn 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.
¹¹tn On this term BAGD 109 s.v. ajrsenokoivth" states, “a male who practices homosexuality, pederast, sodomite 1 Cor 6:9; 1 Ti 1:10; Pol 5:3. Cf. Ro 1:27. DSBailey, Homosexuality and the Western Christian Tradition, ’55.” LN 88.280 states, “a male partner in homosexual intercourse—‘homosexual.’…It is possible that ajrsenokoivth" in certain contexts refers to the active male partner in homosexual intercourse in contrast with malakov", 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 added in the translation, following the emphasis in BAGD.
¹²tn 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.
¹³tn Grk “the gospel of the glory of the blessed God.”
¹⁴tn Grk “with which I was entrusted.” The translation is more in line with contemporary English style.
¹⁵tn Or “violent,” “cruel.”
¹⁶tn Grk “with faith and love in Christ Jesus.”
¹⁷tn 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).
¹⁸tn Grk “of whom I am the first.”
¹⁹tn Grk “but because of this I was treated with mercy, so that…”
²⁰tn Grk “in me first,” making the connection with the last phrase of v. 15.
²¹tn Or more literally, “king of the ages.”
²²tn Grk “unto the ages of the ages,” an emphatic way of speaking about eternity in Greek.
²³sn This charge refers to the task Paul described to Timothy in vv. 3-7 above.
²⁴sn 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.
²⁵tn Grk “that by them you might fight…” (a reference to the prophecies which can encourage him in his work).
²⁶tn 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…”
²⁷sn 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.
¹tn Or “petitions.”
²tn Grk “all men”; but here ajnqrwvpwn (anqrwpwn) is used generically, referring to both men and women.
³tn For “even for kings” the Greek says simply “for kings.”
⁴tn Grk “this”; the referent (such prayer for all, referring to vv. 1-2) is specified in the translation for clarity.
⁵tn Grk “who wants…” (but showing why such prayer is pleasing to God).
⁶tn Grk “all men”; but here ajnqrwvpou" (anqrwpous) is used generically, referring to both men and women.
⁷tn Traditionally this word is rendered “mediator,” but this conveys a wrong impression in contemporary English. Jesus was not a mediator, for example, in the way that a mediator between labor and management might operate today, as a negotiator.
⁸tn Grk “one mediator between God and mankind, the human, Christ Jesus.”
⁹sn Revealing God’s purpose at his appointed time is a difficult expression without clear connection to the preceding, literally “a testimony at the proper time.” This may allude to testimony about Christ’s atoning work given by Paul and others (as v. 7 mentions). But it seems more likely to identify Christ’s death itself as a testimony to God’s gracious character (as vv. 3-4 describe). This testimony was planned from all eternity, but now has come to light at the time God intended, in the work of Christ. See 2 Tim 1:9-10; Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 for similar ideas.
¹⁰tc Many manuscripts (Í* D^c H K 614 1241 Byz al) place ejn Cristw'/ (en Cristw) after levgw (legw) to read “I am telling the truth in Christ,” but this is probably an assimilation to Rom 9:1. Since it is harder to explain the omission, the shorter reading is preferred.
¹¹tn The word translated “men” here refers to adult males, not people in general.
¹²sn To pray. In this verse Paul resumes and concludes the section about prayer begun in 2:1-2. 1 Tim 2:3-7 described God’s concern for all people as the motive for such prayer.
¹³sn Paul uses a common ancient posture in prayer (lifting up holy hands) as a figure of speech for offering requests from a holy life (without anger or dispute).
¹⁴tc Most witnesses have kaiV tav" (kai tas; so D¹ Y 1881 Byz) or simply kaiv (Ͳ D* F G 1739 et pauci) after wJsauvtw" (Jwsautw"). A few important witnesses omit such words (Í* A H P 33 81 1175 et pauci). The evidence is for the most part along “party” lines, with the shortest reading being found in the Alexandrian text, the conjunction in the Western, and the longest reading in the Byzantine tradition. Externally, the shortest reading is better. However, there is a good chance of homoiomeson or homoioteleuton in which case kaiv or kaiV tav" could have accidentally been omitted (note the ai [ai] and ai a" [ai as] in the word that follows): wsautwskaigunaikas/ wsautwskaitasgunaikas. Nevertheless, since both the kaiv and kaiV tav" are predictable variants, intended to fill out the meaning of the text, the shortest reading seems best able to explain the rise of the others.
¹⁵tn Grk “to adorn themselves.” Grammatically the phrase “to adorn themselves” continues Paul’s words in v. 8: “I want…likewise the women to adorn themselves.”
¹⁶tn This word and its cognates are used frequently in the Pastoral Epistles. It means “moderation,” “sobriety,” “decency,” “sensibleness,” or “sound judgment.”
¹⁷tn Literally a continuation of v. 9a, “not with braided hair…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
¹⁸tn Or “receive instruction.”
¹⁹sn But I do not allow. Although the Greek conjunction dev (de) can have a simple connective force (“and”), it is best to take it as contrastive here: v. 11 gives a positive statement (that is to say, that a woman should learn). This was a radical and liberating departure from the Jewish view that women were not to learn the law.
²⁰tn Grk “but to be in quietness.” The phrase ejn hJsuciva/ (en Jhsucia) is used in Greek literature either of absolute silence or of a quiet demeanor.
²¹tn This phrase uses a compound form of the same verb as in v. 14a: “deceived” vs. “deceived out, completely deceived.” The two verbs could be synonymous, but because of the close contrast in this context, it seems that a stronger meaning is intended for the second verb.
²²tn Grk “has come to be in transgression” (with an emphasis on the continuing consequences of that fall).
²³tn “But she will be delivered through childbearing,” or “But she will be saved in spite of childbearing.” This verse is notoriously difficult to interpret, though there is general agreement about one point: v. 15 is intended to lessen the impact of vv. 13-14. There are several interpretive possibilities here, though the first three can be readily dismissed (cf. D. Moo, “1 Timothy 2:11-15: Meaning and Significance,” TrinJ 1 [1980] 70-73. (1) Christian women will be saved, but only if they bear children. This view is entirely unlikely for it lays a condition on Christian women that goes beyond grace, is unsupported elsewhere in scripture, and is explicitly against Paul’s and Jesus’ teaching on both marriage and salvation (cf. Matt 19:12; 1 Cor 7:8-9, 26-27, 34-35; 1 Tim 5:3-10). (2) Despite the curse, Christian women will be kept safe when bearing children. This view also is unlikely, both because it has little to do with the context and because it is not true to life (especially life in the ancient world with its high infant mortality rate). (3) Despite the sin of Eve and the results to her progeny, she would be saved through the childbirth—that is, through the birth of the Messiah, as promised in the protevangelium (Gen 3:15). This view sees the singular “she” as referring first to Eve and then to all women (note the change of persons in this verse). Further, it works well in the context. However, there are several problems with it: [a] The future tense (swqhvshtai, swqhshtai) is unnatural if referring to the protevangelium or even to the historical fact of the Messiah’s birth; [b] that only women are singled out as recipients of salvation seems odd since the birth of the Messiah was necessary for the salvation of both women and men; [c] as ingenious as this view is, its very ingenuity is its downfall, for it is overly subtle; and [d] the term teknogoniva (teknogonia) refers to the process of childbirth rather than the product. And since it is the person of the Messiah (the product of the birth) that saves us, the term is unlikely to be used in the sense given it by those who hold this view. There are three other views that have greater plausibility: (4) This may be a somewhat veiled reference to the curse of Gen 3:16 in order to clarify that though the woman led the man into transgression (v. 14b), she will be saved spiritually despite this physical reminder of her sin. The phrase is literally “through childbearing,” but this does not necessarily denote means or instrument here. Instead it may show attendant circumstance (probably with a concessive force): “with, though accompanied by” (cf. BAGD 180 s.v. diva III.1.c; Rom 2:27; 2 Cor 2:4; 1 Tim 4:14). (5) “It is not through active teaching and ruling activities that Christian women will be saved, but through faithfulness to their proper role, exemplified in motherhood” (Moo, 71). In this view teknogoniva is seen as a synecdoche in which child-rearing and other activities of motherhood are involved. Thus, one evidence (though clearly not an essential evidence) of a woman’s salvation may be seen in her decision to function in this role. (6) The verse may point to some sort of proverbial expression now lost, in which “saved” means “delivered” and in which this deliverance was from some of the devastating effects of the role reversal that took place in Eden. The idea of childbearing, then, is a metonymy of part for the whole that encompasses the woman’s submission again to the leadership of the man, though it has no specific soteriological import (but it certainly would have to do with the outworking of redemption).
²⁴tn There is a shift to the plural here (Grk “if they continue”), but it still refers to the woman in a simple shift from generic singular to generic plural.
¹tn Grk “the saying,” referring to the following citation (see 1 Tim 1:15; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11; Titus 3:8 for other occurrences of this phrase).
²tn Grk “aspires to oversight.”
³tn Or “bishop.”
sn Although some see the article with overseer as indicating a single leader at the top of the ecclesiastical structure (thus taking the article as monadic), this is hardly necessary. It is naturally taken generically (referring to the class of leaders known as overseers) and, in fact, finds precedent in 2:11-12 (“a woman,” “a man”), 2:15 (“she”). Paul almost casually changes between singular and plural in both chapters.
⁴tn Or “a man married only once,” “devoted solely to his wife” (see 1 Tim 3:12; 5:9; Titus 1:6). The meaning of this phrase is disputed. It is frequently understood to refer to the marital status of the church leader, excluding from leadership those who are (1) unmarried, (2) polygamous, (3) divorced, or (4) remarried after being widowed. A different interpretation is reflected in the NEB’s translation “faithful to his one wife.”
⁵tn Grk “having children in submission with all dignity.” The last phrase, “keep his children in control without losing his dignity,” may refer to the children rather than the parent: “having children who are obedient and respectful.”
⁶tn Grk “that he may not become arrogant.”
⁷tn Grk “the judgment of the devil,” which could also mean “the judgment that the devil incurred.” But see 1 Tim 1:20 for examples of the danger Paul seems to have in mind.
⁸tn Or “have a good reputation with”; Grk “have a good testimony from.”
⁹tn Grk “the ones outside.”
¹⁰tn Or “be trapped like the devil was”; Grk “fall into the trap of the devil.” The parallel in 2 Tim 2:26 supports the rendering given in the text.
¹¹tn Or “respectable, honorable, of serious demeanor.”
¹²tn Or “insincere,” “deceitful”; Grk “speaking double.”
¹³tn Grk “not devoted to much wine.”
¹⁴sn The mystery of the faith is a reference to the revealed truths of the Christian faith.
¹⁵tn Or “also deaconesses.” Grk “women” or “wives,” which may mean the wives of the deacons as translated here. However, it may denote women who serve as deacons, “deaconesses.”
¹⁶tn Or “men married only once,” “devoted solely to their wives” (see the note on “wife” in 1 Tim 3:2; also 1 Tim 5:9; Titus 1:6).
¹⁷sn 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 (diavkono" [diakonos], used here of deacons) of all, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve (diakonevw [diakonew], as in 1 Tim 3:10, 13).
¹⁸sn 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.
¹⁹tn Grk “these things.”
sn These instructions refer to the instructions about local church life, given in 1 Tim 2:1-3:13.
²⁰tn Grk “how it is necessary to behave.”
²¹tn Grk “which is” (but the relative clause shows the reason for such conduct).
²²tn Grk “confessedly, admittedly, most certainly.”
²³sn Our religion contains amazing revelation (Grk “great is the mystery of our religion”). The word “mystery” denotes a secret previously hidden in God, but now revealed and made widely known (cf. Rom 16:25; 1 Cor 2:7; 4:1; Eph 1:9; 3:3, 4, 9; 6:19; Col 1:26-27; 4:3). “Religion” is a word used frequently in the pastorals with a range of meanings: (1) a certain attitude toward God— “devotion, reverence”; (2) the conduct that befits that attitude— “godliness, piety”; and (3) the whole system of belief and approach to God that forms the basis for such attitude and conduct— “religion, creed.” See BAGD 326 s.v. eujsevbeia; 2 Tim 3:5; 4 Macc 9:6-7, 29-30; 15:1-3; 17:7. So the following creedal statements are illustrations of the great truths that the church is charged with protecting (v. 15).
²⁴tc The Byzantine text along with a few other witnesses (most significantly, 1739; the second correctors of other manuscripts such as Í A C D all tend to conform to the medieval standard, the Byzantine text, and add no independent voice to the discussion) read qeov" (qeos, “God”) for o{" (os, “who”). On the other side, the masculine relative pronoun o{" is strongly supported by Í* A* C* F G 33 Did Epiph et pauci. Significantly, D* and virtually the entire Latin tradition read the neuter relative pronoun, o{ (o, “which”). Thus, externally, there is no question as to what should be considered original: the Alexandrian and Western traditions are decidedly in favor of o{". Internally, the evidence is even stronger. What scribe would change qeov" to o{" intentionally? “Who” is not only a theologically pale reading by comparison; it also is much harder (since the relative pronoun has no obvious antecedent). Intrinsically, the rest of 3:16, beginning with o{", appears to form a six-strophed hymn. As such, it is a text that is seemingly incorporated into the letter without syntactical connection. Hence, not only should we not look for an antecedent for o{" (as is often done by commentators), but the relative pronoun thus is not too hard a reading (or impossible, as Dean Burgon believed). Once the genre is taken into account, the relative pronoun fits neatly into the author’s style (cf. also Col 1:15; Phil 2:6 for other places in which the relative pronoun begins a hymn, as was often the case in poetry of the day). On the other hand, with qeov" written as a nomen sacrum, it would have looked very much like the relative pronoun: q-=s vs. os. Thus, it may have been easy to confuse one for the other. This, of course, does not solve which direction the scribes would go, although given their generally high Christology and the bland and ambiguous relative pronoun, it is doubtful that they would have replaced qeov" with o{". How then should we account for qeov"? It appears that sometime after the second century the qeov" reading came into existence, either via confusion with o{" or as an intentional alteration to magnify Christ and clear up the syntax at the same time. Once it got in, this theologically rich reading was easily able to influence all the rest of the manuscripts it came in contact with (including manuscripts already written, such as Í A C D). That this reading did not arise until after the second century is evident from the Western reading, o{. The neuter relative pronoun is certainly a “correction” of o{", conforming the gender to that of the neuter musthvrion (musthrion, “mystery”). What is significant in this reading is (1) since virtually all the Western witnesses have either the masculine or neuter relative pronoun, the qeov" reading was unknown to them in the second century (when the “Western” text originated, though its place of origination was most likely in the east); they thus supply strong indirect evidence of o{" outside of Egypt in the second century; (2) even second century scribes were able to misunderstand the genre, feeling compelled to alter the masculine relative pronoun because it appeared to them to be too harsh. The evidence, therefore, for o{" is quite compelling, both externally and internally. As Metzger notes (Textual Commentary, 2nd ed., 574), “no uncial (in the first hand) earlier than the eighth or ninth century (Y) supports qeov"; all ancient versions presuppose o{" or o{; and no patristic writer prior to the last third of the fourth century testifies to the reading qeov".” Thus, the cries of certain groups that qeov" has to be original must be seen as special pleading in this case. To argue that heretics tampered with the text here is self-defeating, for most of the Western fathers who quoted the verse with the relative pronoun were quite orthodox, strongly affirming the deity of Christ. They would have dearly loved such a reading as qeov". Further, had heretics introduced a variant to qeov", a far more natural choice would have been Cristov" (Cristos, “Christ”) or kuvrio" (kurios, “Lord”), since the text is self-evidently about Christ, but it is not self-evidently a proclamation of his deity.
tn Grk “who.”
²⁵tn Or “in spirit.”
¹tn Or “desert the faith by occupying themselves.”
²tn Grk “teachings of demons” (speaking of the source of these doctrines).
³tn Grk “in the hypocrisy of liars.”
⁴tn Grk “nothing.”
⁵tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ajdelfoiv [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
⁶sn By pointing out…you have followed. This verse gives a theme statement for what follows in the chapter about Timothy’s ministry. The situation in Ephesus requires him to be a good servant of Christ, and he will do that by sound teaching and by living an exemplary life himself.
⁷sn Those myths refer to legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 1:4; 2 Tim 4:4; and Titus 1:14.
⁸tn Grk “the godless and old-wifely myths.”
⁹tn Grk “bodily training” (using the noun form of the verb “train” in v. 7b).
¹⁰tn Grk “the saying.”
sn This saying. The literal phrase “the saying” refers to the preceding citation. See 1 Tim 1:15; 3:1; 2 Tim 2:11; Titus 3:8 for other occurrences of this phrase.
¹¹tn Grk “for toward this,” denoting purpose. The conjunction “for” gives confirmation or emphasis to 1 Tim 4:8-9.
¹²tc A number of ancient manuscripts (Ͳ D Byz it) read “work hard and suffer reproach,” but the reading in the text is supported by Í* A C F G K Y 33 al and is much more likely the original.
¹³tn Or “faith.”
¹⁴tn Grk “reading”
sn The public reading of scripture refers to reading the scripture out loud in the church services. In a context where many were illiterate and few could afford private copies of scripture, such public reading was especially important.
¹⁵tn Grk “in you.”
¹⁶tn Grk “which was given to you through prophecy.” Here as in 2:15 the preposition “through” denotes not “means” but accompanying circumstances: “accompanied by prophecy.”
sn These prophetic words perhaps spoke of what God would do through Timothy in his ministry (cf. 1 Tim 1:18).
¹⁷tn Grk “with the imposition of the hands of the presbytery” (i.e., the council of elders).
¹⁸tn Grk “that your progress may be evident to all.”
¹⁹tn Grk “about yourself and your teaching.”
¹tn Or “Do not speak harshly to an older man.”
²tn No verb “speak” is stated in this clause, but it continues the sense of the preceding.
³sn The word honor here carries the double meaning of respect and financial support. This Greek word can imply both senses, and both are intended in this context.
⁴tn Grk “the real widows,” “those who are really widows.”
⁵tn Or “to practice their religion.”
⁶tn Or “and so make some repayment to their parents”; Grk “and to give back recompense to their parents.”
⁷tn Grk “for this is pleasing in the sight of God.”
⁸tn Or “left all alone.”
⁹tn For “is dead even” the Greek text reads “has died.”
¹⁰tn Here kaiv (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
¹¹tn Grk “and command these things.”
¹²tn That is, “his own relatives.”
¹³sn This list was an official enrollment, apparently with a formal pledge to continue in it (cf. v. 12). It was either (1) the list of “true widows” who were given support by the church or (2) a smaller group of older women among the supported widows who were qualified for special service (perhaps to orphans, other widows, the sick, etc.). Most commentators understand it to be the former, since a special group is not indicated clearly.
¹⁴tn Grk “let a widow be enrolled if she has reached not less than sixty years.”
¹⁵tn Or “a woman married only once,” “was devoted solely to her husband” (see the note on “wife” in 1 Tim 3:2; also 1 Tim 3:12; Titus 1:6).
¹⁶tn Grk “if she raised children.” The phrase “if she raised children” begins a series of conditional clauses running to the end of the verse. These provide specific examples of her good works (v. 10a).
¹⁷tn Grk “followed after every good work.”
¹⁸tn Grk “refuse younger widows.”
¹⁹tn With a single verb and object, this clause means “pursue sensuous desires in opposition to Christ.”
²⁰tn Grk “incurring judgment because they reject their first faith.”
sn The pledge refers most likely to a vow not to remarry undertaken when a widow is put on the list (cf. 1 Tim 5:9).
²¹tn “going around.” LN 15.23 suggests the meaning, “to move about from place to place, with significant changes in direction—‘to travel about, to wander about’.”
²²tn Or “idle.” The whole clause (“going around from house to house, they learn to be lazy”) reverses the order of the Greek. The present participle periercovmenai (periercomenai) may be taken as temporal (“while going around”), instrumental (“by going around”) or result (“with the result that they go around”).
²³tn Grk “saying the things that are unnecessary.” Or perhaps “talking about things that are none of their business.”
²⁴tn Grk “for the sake of reviling.”
²⁵tn Grk “wandered away after Satan.”
²⁶tn Grk “has widows.”
²⁷tn Grk “the real widows,” “those who are really widows.”
²⁸tn Grk “who lead well.”
²⁹tn Or “deserving.”
³⁰tn Like the similar use of “honor” in v. 3, this phrase denotes both respect and remuneration: “honor plus honorarium.”
³¹tn Or “in preaching”; Grk “in word.”
³²sn A quotation from Deut 25:4.
³³sn A quotation from Luke 10:7.
³⁴sn An allusion to Deut 17:6, 19:15.
³⁵sn As a continuation of v. 19, this refers to elders who sin, not to sinning believers more generally.
³⁶tn Or “censured.” The Greek word implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.
³⁷tn “Before all” probably refers to the whole congregation, not just all the elders; “the rest” is more likely to denote the remaining elders.
³⁸tn Grk “that the rest may have fear.”
³⁹tn Grk “doing nothing according to partiality.”
⁴⁰tn In context “laying hands on anyone” refers to ordination or official installation of someone as an elder.
⁴¹tn Grk “and do not share in the sins of others.”
⁴²tn Grk “for the sake of your stomach.”
⁴³sn This verse gives parenthetical advice to Timothy, to clarify what it means to keep pure (5:22c). Verse 24 resumes the instructions about elders.
⁴⁴tn Grk “they [the sins] follow after others.”
¹tn Grk “that the name…may not be slandered” (a continuation of the preceding sentence).
²tn Grk “the teaching.”
³tn Or “slandered.”
⁴tn Or “think the less of them”; Grk “despise them,” “look down on them.”
⁵tn Or “those who devote themselves to service are faithful and dearly loved” (referring to slaves who serve them).
⁶tn Grk “these things teach and exhort.”
⁷tn Grk “teaches other doctrines,” (different from apostolic teaching, cf. 1 Tim 1:3).
⁸tn The Greek conjunction o{ti (oti) usually means “because,” but here it takes the sense “so that” (see BAGD 589 s.v. 1.d.g). This unusual sense led to textual variation (“it is clear that” or “it is true that”), as scribes attempted to correct what appeared to be an error. The simple conjunction is preferred on both internal and external grounds.
⁹tn Grk “with these.”
¹⁰tn This could be taken to mean “a root,” but the phrase “of all evils” clearly makes it definite. This seems to be not entirely true to life (some evils are unrelated to love of money), but it should be read as a case of hyperbole (exaggeration to make a point more strongly).
¹¹tn Many translations render this “of all kinds of evil,” especially to allow for the translation “a root” along with it. But there is no parallel for taking a construction like this to mean “all kinds of” or “every kind of.” The normal sense is “all evils.”
¹²tn Grk “O man of God.”
¹³tn Grk “flee these things.”
¹⁴tn 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.”
¹⁵tn Grk “confessed the good confession.”
¹⁶tc Although most witnesses have soi (soi, “you”) after paraggevllw (parangellw), the personal pronoun is almost demanded by the sense of the passage. Hence, the omission is the harder reading, and the addition of soi is apparently a clarifying addition. Further, the shorter reading is found in several important witnesses of the Alexandrian and Western traditions, such as Í* F G Y 6 33 1739 et pauci.
tn Grk “I charge.”
¹⁷tn Grk “testified the good confession.”
¹⁸tn Grk “the command.”
sn The command refers to the duties laid upon Timothy for his ministry in Ephesus (1 Tim 1:3-20; 6:2c-5).
¹⁹tn Grk “in the present age.”
²⁰tn Grk “in uncertainty.”
²¹tn Grk “to do good” (the continuation of 6:17). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 18.
²²tn Grk “to be generous,” “sharing.”
²³tn Grk “saving up” (the continuation of 6:18). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 19.
²⁴tn Grk “treasuring up a good foundation.”
²⁵tn Grk “that they may lay hold of.”
²⁶tn Grk “avoiding.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
²⁷tn Or “contradictions.”
²⁸tn Grk “the falsely-named knowledge.”
²⁹tn Grk “have deviated concerning the faith.”
³⁰tn Grk “with you” (but the Greek pronoun indicates the meaning is plural here).