Saturday, January 23, 2021

1 Timothy 1-3

 

Outline

  • Greetings (1:1-2)
  • Warning against False Teachers (1:3-11)
    • The Nature of the Heresy (1:3-7)
    • The Purpose of the Law (1:8-11)
  • The Lord's Grace to Paul (1:12-17)
  • The Purpose of Paul's Instructions to Timothy (1:18-20)
  • Instructions concerning Church Administration (chs. 2-3)
    • Public Worship (ch. 2)
      • Prayer in public worship (2:1-8)
      • Women in public worship (2:9-15)
    • Qualifications for Church Officers (3:1-13)
    • Purpose of These Instructions (3:14-16)
  • Instructions concerning False Teaching (ch. 4)
    • False Teaching Described (4:1-5)
    • Methods of Dealing with It Explained (4:6-16)
  • Instructions concerning Different Groups in the Church (5:1;6:2)
  • Miscellaneous Matters (6:3-19)
  • Concluding Appeal and Benediction (6:20-21)

1 Timothy 1 NLT

1 This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope. 

2 I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. 

3 When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. 

4 Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God. 

5 The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. 

6 But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. 

7 They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently. 

8 We know that the law is good when used correctly. 

9 For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 

10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 

11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God. 

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him,

13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 

14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. 

15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 

16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 

17All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. 

18 Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. 

19 Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. 

20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God.


 

1 Timothy 2 NLT

1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 

2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 

3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 

4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 

5 For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 

6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. 

7 And I have been chosen as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles this message about faith and truth. I’m not exaggerating—just telling the truth. 

8 In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy. 

9 And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. 

10 For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do. 

11 Women should learn quietly and submissively. 

12 I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly. 

13 For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve. 

14 And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result. 

15 But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty.


 

1 Timothy 3 NLT

1 This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position.” 

2 So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. 

3 He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. 

4 He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.

5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? 

6 An elder must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. 

7 Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap. 

8 In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. 

9 They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. 

10 Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons. 

11 In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do. 

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 

13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus. 

14 I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, 

15 so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth. 

16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith : Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory.

Summary of the Book of 1 Timothy

 

Book of 1 Timothy

Chapters

Summary

Summary of the Book of 1 Timothy

This summary of the book of 1 Timothy provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of 1 Timothy.

Author

Both early tradition and the salutations of the Pastoral Letters (1,2 Timothy; Titus) themselves claim Paul as their author (1:12Ti 1:1Tit 1:1). Some objections have been raised in recent years on the basis of an alleged uncharacteristic vocabulary and style (see, e.g., notes on 1:152:2), but other evidence still convincingly supports Paul's authorship. See essay, p. 2481.

Background and Purpose

During his fourth missionary journey (see map, pp. 2486-2487), Paul had instructed Timothy to care for the church at Ephesus (1:3) while he went on to Macedonia. When he realized that he might not return to Ephesus in the near future (3:14-15), he wrote this first letter to Timothy to develop the charge he had given his young assistant (1:3, 18), to refute false teachings (1:3-74:1-86:3-5,20-21) and to supervise the affairs of the growing Ephesian church (church worship, ch. 2; the appointment of qualified church leaders, 3:1-135:17-25).

A major problem in the Ephesian church was a heresy that combined Gnosticism (see Introduction to 1 John: Gnosticism), decadent Judaism (1:3-7) and false asceticism (4:1-5).

Date

1 Timothy was written sometime after the events of Ac 28 (c. 63-65), at least eight years after Paul's three-year stay in Ephesus (see Ac 19:10 and note).
Recipient

As the salutation indicates (1:2), Paul is writing to Timothy, a native of Lystra (in modern Turkey). Timothy's father was Greek, while his mother was a Jewish Christian (Ac 16:1). From childhood he had been taught the OT (2Ti 1:53:15). Paul called him "my true son in the faith" (1:2; see note there), perhaps having led him to faith in Christ during his first visit to Lystra. At the time of his second visit Paul invited Timothy to join him on his missionary travels, circumcising him so that his Greek ancestry would not be a liability in working with the Jews (Ac 16:3). Timothy helped Paul evangelize Macedonia and Achaia (Ac 17:14-1518:5) and was with him during much of his long preaching ministry at Ephesus (Ac 19:22). He traveled with him from Ephesus to Macedonia, to Corinth (see Ac 20:3 and note), back to Macedonia, and to Asia Minor (Ac 20:1-6). He may even have accompanied him all the way to Jerusalem. He was with Paul during the apostle's first imprisonment (Php 1:1Col 1:1Phm 1).

Following Paul's release (after Ac 28), Timothy again traveled with him but eventually stayed at Ephesus to deal with the problems there, while Paul went on to Macedonia. Paul's closeness to and admiration of Timothy are seen in Paul's naming him as the co-sender of six of his letters (2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1,2 Thessalonians and Philemon) and in his speaking highly of him to the Philippians (Php 2:19-22). At the end of Paul's life he requested Timothy to join him at Rome (2Ti 4:9,21). According to Heb 13:23, Timothy himself was imprisoned and subsequently released -- whether at Rome or elsewhere, we do not know.

Timothy was not an apostle. It may be best to regard him as an apostolic representative, delegated to carry out special work (cf. Tit 1:5).

Outline

  • Greetings (1:1-2)
  • Warning against False Teachers (1:3-11)
    • The Nature of the Heresy (1:3-7)
    • The Purpose of the Law (1:8-11)
  • The Lord's Grace to Paul (1:12-17)
  • The Purpose of Paul's Instructions to Timothy (1:18-20)
  • Instructions concerning Church Administration (chs. 2-3)
    • Public Worship (ch. 2)
      • Prayer in public worship (2:1-8)
      • Women in public worship (2:9-15)
    • Qualifications for Church Officers (3:1-13)
    • Purpose of These Instructions (3:14-16)
  • Instructions concerning False Teaching (ch. 4)
    • False Teaching Described (4:1-5)
    • Methods of Dealing with It Explained (4:6-16)
  • Instructions concerning Different Groups in the Church (5:1;6:2)
  • Miscellaneous Matters (6:3-19)
  • Concluding Appeal and Benediction (6:20-21)

From the NIV Study Bible, Introductions to the Books of the Bible, 1 Timothy
Copyright 2002 © Zondervan. All rights reserved. Used with permission.