1 Timothy 1 NLT

Outline

I.                  Greetings (1:1-2)

II.         Warning against False Teachers (1:3-11)

A.    The Nature of the Heresy (1:3-7)

B.    The Purpose of the Law (1:8-11)

                III.         The Lord's Grace to Paul (1:12-17)

IV.         The Purpose of Paul's Instructions to Timothy (1:18-20)

V.         Instructions concerning Church Administration (chs. 2-3)

 .      Public Worship (ch. 2)

1.     Prayer in public worship (2:1-8)

2.     Women in public worship (2:9-15)

A.    Qualifications for Church Officers (3:1-13)

0.     Overseers (3:1-7)

1.     Deacons (3:8-13)

B.    Purpose of These Instructions (3:14-16)

               VI.         Instructions concerning False Teaching (ch. 4)

 .      False Teaching Described (4:1-5)

A.    Methods of Dealing with It Explained (4:6-16)

VII.         Instructions concerning Different Groups in the Church (5:1;6:2)

 .      The Older and Younger (5:1-2)

A.    Widows (5:3-16)

B.    Elders (5:17-25)

C.    Slaves (6:1-2)

VIII.         Miscellaneous Matters (6:3-19)

 .      False Teachers (6:3-5)

A.    Love of Money (6:6-10)

B.    Charge to Timothy (6:11-16)

C.    The Rich (6:17-19)

IX.         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.

Summary of the Book of 1 Timothy

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 (1:1; 2Ti 1:1; Tit 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 1:15; 2:2), 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 (1:3-7; 4:1-8; 6:3-5,20-21) and to supervise the affairs of the growing Ephesian church (church worship, ch. 2; the appointment of qualified church leaders, 3:1-13; 5:17-25).

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 1:5; 3:15). 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 17:14-15; 18:5) 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 1:1; Col 1:1; Phm 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)
    • Overseers (3:1-7)
    • Deacons (3:8-13)
  • 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)
  • The Older and Younger (5:1-2)
  • Widows (5:3-16)
  • Elders (5:17-25)
  • Slaves (6:1-2)
• Miscellaneous Matters (6:3-19)
  • False Teachers (6:3-5)
  • Love of Money (6:6-10)
  • Charge to Timothy (6:11-16)
  • The Rich (6:17-19)
• Concluding Appeal and Benediction (6:20-21)

1 Timothy 6:3 to 6:21 NLT

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)
    • Overseers (3:1-7)
    • Deacons (3:8-13)
  • 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)
  • The Older and Younger (5:1-2)
  • Widows (5:3-16)
  • Elders (5:17-25)
  • Slaves (6:1-2)
• Miscellaneous Matters (6:3-19)
  • False Teachers (6:3-5)
  • Love of Money (6:6-10)
  • Charge to Timothy (6:11-16)
  • The Rich (6:17-19)
• Concluding Appeal and Benediction (6:20-21)

1 Timothy 6 NLT

3Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. 

4 Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. 

5 These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy. 

6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 

7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 

8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 

9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 

10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 

11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 

12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. 

13 And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, 

14 that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 

15 For, At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. 

16He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen.

17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 

18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 

19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. 

20 Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. 

21 Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. May God’s grace be with you all.