The Bible — World English Bible
1 Timothy 1
In brief
1 Timothy 1 opens Paul's first letter to his young coworker Timothy, who has stayed in Ephesus. Paul asks him to watch over the teaching and to set aside fruitless debates, because the goal of the commandment is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. He speaks about the right use of the law, then about his own journey: a former persecutor, he received mercy. He closes by urging Timothy to fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience.
The chapter in 4 parts
1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope;
2to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine,
4and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith—
5but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith,
6from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned away to vain talking,
7desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.
8But we know that the law is good, if a person uses it lawfully,
9as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine,
11according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
12I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service;
13although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
16However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life.
17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith,
20of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
Key verses
but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith,
Paul sums up the goal of all teaching: a love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. Doctrine is not an end in itself, it serves love.
The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
Paul presents as a trustworthy saying that Jesus came to save sinners. By calling himself the foremost of them, he shows that no one ever outgrows the need for grace.
However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life.
Paul sees himself as an example for all who will believe: if God was patient with him, no one is beyond the reach of his mercy.
holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith,
Keeping the faith goes hand in hand with a good conscience. The text speaks of shipwreck of faith for those who rejected it, which calls for vigilance.
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Frequently asked questions about 1 Timothy 1
What does 1 Timothy 1:15 mean?
Paul states that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and he counts himself as the first of them. This is not false modesty: a former blasphemer and persecutor, he knows he lives by God's mercy. The verse reassures those who think their past disqualifies them.
Why does Paul talk about the law in 1 Timothy 1?
Because some want to be teachers of the law without understanding what they say. Paul affirms that the law is good if it is used lawfully. It brings rebellion and sin to light, but it does not replace the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to him.
What does it mean to be shipwrecked concerning the faith?
In verse 19, Paul says that some have rejected a good conscience and have made shipwreck of their faith, like Hymenaeus and Alexander. Christians draw different conclusions from this: some see a loss of salvation, others a serious drifting away. All agree on how serious it is to neglect conscience.
Articles quoting 1 Timothy 1
World English Bible translation — public domain.