Reference ID Tags SupportReference Quote Occurrence Note
front:intro wy83 0 # Introduction to 1 Timothy\n\n## Part 1: General Introduction\n\n### Outline of the Book of 1 Timothy\n\nIn this letter, Paul alternates between personal commands to Timothy that empower him to act as his representative and with his authority, and instructions for how followers of Jesus should live in community.\n\n1. Greetings (1:1–2)\n2. Paul commands Timothy to tell people not to teach false doctrines (1:3–20)\n3. Paul gives instructions about how to re-establish order and decency in the church (2:1–15)\n4. Paul gives instructions about how to ensure that elders and deacons are properly qualified (3:1–13)\n5. Paul commands Timothy regarding his own personal conduct (3:14–5:2)\n6. Paul gives instructions to ensure church support for worthy widows (5:3–16) and elders (5:17–20)\n7. Paul commands Timothy that he must be impartial (5:21–25)\n8. Paul gives instructions to ensure order in master-servant relationships (6:1–2a)\n9. Paul commands Timothy regarding how he should teach and conduct himself (6:2b–16)\n10. Paul gives instructions for how people who are rich should live (6:17–19)\n11. Paul commands Timothy to guard what has been entrusted to his care (6:20–21a)\n12. Closing blessing to the whole church (6:21b)\n\n### Who wrote the Book of 1 Timothy?\n\nA man named Paul wrote 1 Timothy. Paul was from the city of Tarsus. He had been known as Saul in his early life. Before becoming a Christian, Paul was a Pharisee. He persecuted Christians. After he became a Christian, he traveled several times throughout the Roman Empire telling people about Jesus.\n\nPaul may have written other letters to Timothy, but this is the earliest one that we still have. That is why it is known as 1 Timothy or First Timothy. Timothy was Paul’s disciple and close friend. Paul probably wrote this letter near the end of his life.\n\n### What is the Book of 1 Timothy about?\n\nPaul had left Timothy in the city of Ephesus to help the believers there. Paul wrote this letter to instruct Timothy about various matters. The topics he addressed included church worship, qualifications for church leaders, and warnings against false teachers. This letter shows how Paul was training Timothy to be a leader among the churches while Timothy himself trained other leaders.\n\n### How should the title of this book be translated?\n\nTranslators may choose to call this book by its customary title, “1 Timothy” or “First Timothy.” Or they may choose a different title, such as “Paul’s First Letter to Timothy.” (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])\n\n## Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts\n\n### What is discipleship?\n\nDiscipleship is the process of making people to be disciples of Christ. The goal of discipleship is to encourage other Christians to be more like Christ. This letter gives many instructions about how a leader should train a less mature Christian. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/disciple]])\n\n## Part 3: Important Translation Issues\n\n### What did Paul mean by the expression “in Christ”?\n\nPaul meant to express the idea of a very close union with Christ and the believers. Please see the introduction to the Book of Romans for more details about this kind of expression.\n\n### What are the major textual issues in the text of the book of 1 Timothy?\n\nIn [6:5](../06/05.md), the oldest Greek manuscripts differ from later Greek manuscripts. Modern translations may also differ depending on the Greek manuscript that they translate from. The ULT text translates the Greek from the oldest manuscripts and puts the differences from later manuscripts in a footnote. If a translation of the Bible exists in the general region, translators should consider following the decision in that translation. If not, translators are advised to follow the oldest Greek manuscripts as reflected in the ULT text. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants]])
1:intro a4v2 0 # 1 Timothy 1 General Notes\n\n## Structure and formatting\n\nPaul formally introduces this letter in verses 1–2. Writers often began letters in this way in the ancient Near East.\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### Spiritual children\n\nIn this chapter, Paul calls Timothy a “son” and his “child.” Paul discipled Timothy as a Christian and a church leader. Paul may also have led him to believe in Christ. Therefore, Paul called Timothy his “son in the faith.” (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/disciple]], [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/faith]] and [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/spirit]] and [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])\n\n### Metaphor\n\nIn this chapter Paul speaks of people who are not fulfilling the purpose of their faith as if they had “missed the mark” that they were aiming at, as if they had “turned away” down a wrong path, and as if they had been “shipwrecked.” He speaks of following Jesus faithfully as “fighting the good fight.”
1:1 i3zz Παῦλος 1 In the culture of this time, letter writers would give their own names first. Your language may have a particular way of introducing the author of a letter, and if it would be helpful to your readers, you could use it here. Immediately after introducing the writer, you might also want to indicate to whom the letter was written. Alternate translation: “I, Paul, am the one writing this letter to you, Timothy”
1:1 xl6d κατ’ ἐπιταγὴν Θεοῦ 1 Alternate translation: “by the authority of God”
1:1 sw77 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἡμῶν 1 Here, **our hope** refers to the person in whom we have hope. Alternate translations: “of Christ Jesus, the one in whom we have confidence” or “of Christ Jesus, whom we trust”
1:2 pyi6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor γνησίῳ τέκνῳ 1 Paul speaks of his close relationship to Timothy as though they were father and **son**. This shows Paul’s sincere love and approval of Timothy. It is also likely that Paul personally led Timothy to trust in Christ. That would be another reason why Paul considered him to be like his own child, since Timothy entered his new life as a follower of Jesus because of Paul. Alternate translation: “who is truly like a son to me”
1:2 rd5v χάρις, ἔλεος, εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν 1 In this culture, letter writers would offer a good wish for the recipient before introducing the main business of the letter. Alternate translation: “I hope you are experiencing God’s kindness, mercy, and peace”
1:2 p4lz rc://*/ta/man/translate/guidelines-sonofgodprinciples Θεοῦ Πατρὸς 1 Here, **Father** is an important title for God. Alternate translation: “God, who is our Father”
1:3 k35a rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-yousingular σε 1 In this letter, with one exception, the words **you**, “your,” and “yourself” refer to Timothy and so are singular. A note will discuss the one exception in [6:21](../06/21.md).
1:3 v4g2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν 1 The implication is that these people were not teaching in a different way, but teaching different things than what Paul and Timothy taught. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “a different doctrine from what we teach”
1:4 pw2h μύθοις 1 These **myths** were fanciful stories of some kind, perhaps about the supposed exploits of various spiritual beings. But since we no longer know exactly what these stories were about, it would probably be best to use a general term for them. Alternate translation: “made-up stories”
1:4 qpv9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole γενεαλογίαις ἀπεράντοις 1 Paul uses the term **endless** as an exaggeration to emphasize that these are very long. Alternate translation: “lists of names that seem as if they will never end”
1:4 ft33 γενεαλογίαις 1 Usually, the term **genealogies** refers to a record of a person’s ancestors. However, in this case it could also mean a record of the supposed ancestors of spiritual beings. Alternate translation: “lists of names”
1:4 qb9l αἵτινες ἐκζητήσεις παρέχουσι 1 The people were debating about these stories and lists of names, but no one could know for certain whether they were true. Alternate translation: “these make people disagree angrily”
1:4 eu9f rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns οἰκονομίαν Θεοῦ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this phrasebehind the abstract noun **stewardship** with a concrete noun such as “plan” or “work.” Alternate translations: “helping us to understand God’s plan to save us” or “helping us to do God’s work”
1:4 p2sr rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns τὴν ἐν πίστει 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the word **faith** with a verb such as “trust” or “believe.” Alternate translations: “which we learn by believing in God” or “which we do by trusting in God”
1:5 myi5 δὲ 1 Paul here uses the word **Now** to introduce background information that will help Timothy understand the purpose of what he is commanding him. You can translate it with a word or phrase in your language that introduces background information.
1:5 iwnk rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-goal τὸ δὲ τέλος τῆς παραγγελίας ἐστὶν 1 Here Paul is expressing to Timothy the **goal** or the outcome that he desires from the commands that Paul gave him. Alternate translation: “I am commanding these things in order to get this result”
1:5 i9rs rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἐστὶν ἀγάπη 1 That God’s people would show **love** is the goal of the command. If it is necessary to include the object of “love,” you could state “each other” or “others.” This may also include love for God. Alternate translation: “is that God’s people would love others”
1:5 t123 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας 1 Here the **heart** represents a person’s thoughts and inclinations. Alternate translation: “from a desire for only what is good”
1:5 mbe6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας 1 Here, **pure** indicates that the person wants only good things and does not have mixed motives that also include some bad ones. Alternate translation: “from a desire for only what is good”
1:5 ar8t συνειδήσεως ἀγαθῆς 1 Your translation should make it clear that love is the one goal of the command and is followed by three things that lead to this love. This is the second thing, after “a pure heart.” Alternate translation: “and from a conscience that leads a person to choose right instead of wrong”
1:5 m53g πίστεως ἀνυποκρίτου 1 Paul presents **a sincere faith** as the third thing that leads to love, which is the one goal of the command. It is not a third goal of the command. Alternate translations: “and from faith that is genuine” or “and from faith that is without hypocrisy”
1:5 zziu rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns πίστεως ἀνυποκρίτου 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the phrase **a sincere faith** by expressing the abstract noun **faith** with a verb such as “trust” or “believe.” Here, **faith** could refer to: (1) trust in God. (2) belief in true teaching about God. Alternate translations: “firmly trusting in God” or “sincerely believing the true message about God”
1:6 j4z3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τινες ἀστοχήσαντες 1 Paul speaks of faith in Christ as if it were a target that people should aim at. Paul means that some people are not fulfilling the purpose of their faith, which is to love, as he has just explained. Alternate translation: “some people, who are not fulfilling the purpose of faith in Jesus”
1:6 se38 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐξετράπησαν εἰς 1 Here, **turned away** means these people have stopped doing what God has commanded. Alternate translation: “are no longer doing what God commands. Instead of that, they just engage in”
1:7 v28u rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit νομοδιδάσκαλοι 1 Here, **law** refers specifically to the law of Moses. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly, as in the UST.
1:7 kz8x rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast μὴ νοοῦντες 1 If the contrast is not clear in your language between what these people want to be (teachers of the law) and their ability to do it, you may want to mark the contrast. Alternate translations: “but not understanding” or “and yet they do not understand”
1:7 t131 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublenegatives μὴ & μήτε & μήτε 1 Paul uses a triple negative in Greek for emphasis here, “not … neither … nor.” None of these negatives cancel each other to create a positive meaning. Instead, the negative meaning is retained throughout. If your language uses double negatives for emphasis that do not cancel one another, it would be appropriate to use that construction here.
1:7 t132 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism ἃ λέγουσιν, μήτε περὶ τίνων διαβεβαιοῦνται 1 These two phrases mean similar things. Paul uses the repetition for emphasis. You do not need to put both phrases in your translation if that might be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “the things that they say so confidently are true”
1:8 t134 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive οἴδαμεν 1 In this letter, Paul uses the words **we**, “us,” and “our” to refer either to Timothy and himself, or else to all believers, which would also include the two of them. So generally, these words include the addressee. A note will discuss the one possible exception in [4:10](../04/10.md).
1:9 fq4i rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive δικαίῳ νόμος οὐ κεῖται 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “God did not make the law for people who are righteous”
1:9 dl5l rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-nominaladj δικαίῳ 1 Paul is using the adjective **righteous** as a noun, to refer to a class of people that it describes. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this term by translating it with a noun phrase. Alternate translation: “for people who are righteous”
1:9 t139 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-nominaladj ἀνόμοις δὲ καὶ ἀνυποτάκτοις, ἀσεβέσι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοῖς, ἀνοσίοις καὶ βεβήλοις 1 Paul is also using these adjectives as nouns to refer to the classes of people that they describe. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this phrase by translating each of these adjectives with a noun phrase. Alternate translation: “people who break the law, people who defy authority, people who do not honor God, people who commit sins, people who live as if God did not matter, people who live as if nothing was sacred”
1:9 t141 πατρολῴαις καὶ μητρολῴαις, ἀνδροφόνοις 1 In this list Paul uses several compound words to express his meaning concisely and vividly. In each case the first term in the compound, a noun, is the object of the second term in the compound, a verb. Three of these compound words are in this verse, and two more are in the next verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express these terms by translating them either with single terms or with phrases. Alternate translations: “patricides and matricides, murders” or “people who kill other people, even their own fathers and mothers”
1:9 t142 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations ἀνδροφόνοις 1 Paul uses the term **man** here in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “murderers”
1:10 y5dx rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-nominaladj πόρνοις 1 Paul is using the adjective **immoral** as a noun to refer to a class of people that it describes. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this term by translating it with a noun phrase. Alternate translation: “people who have sexual relations outside of marriage”
1:10 v1gh rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἀρσενοκοίταις 1 The term **male-liers** is the fourth compound word on the list. The term “lie” means to have sexual relations. Alternate translation: “men who have sexual relations with other males”
1:10 bzw4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations ἀνδραποδισταῖς 1 The term **man-stealers** is the fifth and last compound word on the list. Paul uses the term **man** here in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “people who kidnap other people to sell them as slaves”
1:10 gg42 καὶ εἴ τι ἕτερον τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ ἀντίκειται 1 Here Paul leaves out some of the words that, in many languages, a sentence would need to be complete. He means that if anything else is contrary to healthy teaching, then the law is made for people who do that, too. Alternate translation: “and for people who do anything else that is against wholesome teaching”
1:10 t147 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ 1 The phrase **healthy teaching** is a figurative way to say that the teaching is good and reliable in every way and has no defect or corruption. A person with a healthy mind would recognize this teaching as correct. Alternate translation: “correct teaching”
1:11 mg4t τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς δόξης τοῦ μακαρίου Θεοῦ 1 This phrase could mean one of two things. Alternate translations: “the gospel about the glory that belongs to the blessed God” or “the glorious gospel about the blessed God”
1:11 a58d rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ὃ ἐπιστεύθην ἐγώ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express what had been entrusted to Paul with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “for which God made me responsible”
1:12 ff1n rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor θέμενος εἰς διακονίαν 1 Paul speaks of the task of serving God as if it were a location that one could be placed in. Alternate translations: “he assigned me to serve him” or “he appointed me as his servant”
1:13 q75p rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ὄντα βλάσφημον 1 Paul is referring to his character before he believed in Jesus. He is probably referring to how he used to say that Jesus was not the Messiah and that people should not believe in him. Alternate translation: “I was a person who said wrong things about Jesus”
1:13 gbd4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit διώκτην 1 Paul is referring to his character before he believed in Jesus. Alternate translation: “a person who persecuted those who believed in Jesus”
1:13 k85c rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ὑβριστήν 1 Paul is referring to his character before he believed in Jesus. Alternate translations: “a violent person” or “a person who used violence against those who believed in Jesus”
1:13 rq2m rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result ἠλεήθην, ὅτι ἀγνοῶν, ἐποίησα ἐν ἀπιστίᾳ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could change the order of these phrases since the second phrase, “not knowing,” gives the reason for the action that the first phrase, “I was shown mercy,” describes. Alternate translation: “I did not act the way God would have trusted me to act, but that was because I did not know what I was doing, and so Jesus had mercy on me”
1:13 nv6k rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἠλεήθην 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express who showed **mercy** to Paul with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “Jesus had mercy on me”
1:14 t158 δὲ 1 Paul here uses the word **Indeed** to introduce an expanded description of the way Jesus treated him mercifully even though he persecuted the followers of Jesus. This description will help Timothy and the other believers in Ephesus to understand how great the mercy of Jesus is. Alternate translation: “in fact”
1:14 c1lg rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ὑπερεπλεόνασεν & ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν 1 Paul speaks of the **grace** of Jesus as if it were a liquid that fills a container until it flows over the top. Alternate translation: “Jesus showed me unlimited grace”
1:14 z5lv rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom μετὰ πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ 1 This could refer to: (1) **faith and love** that he received from Jesus when he became **in** him, which would mean “in relationship with” him. Alternate translation: “and enabled me to trust him and love him” (2) **faith and love** that Jesus himself possesses and could be saying that these were the basis of the mercy that Jesus showed him. Alternate translation: “because he believed in me and loved me”
1:15 z48s πιστὸς ὁ λόγος 1 In this context, the term **word** refers to an entire statement. Alternate translation: “this statement is dependable”
1:15 rh2r καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could state explicitly who does this action. Alternate translations: “and we should believe it without any doubt” or “and we should have full confidence in it”
1:15 t163 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-quotemarks Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῶσαι 1 Paul uses this phrase as a direct quotation. It may be helpful to your readers if you indicate this by setting off the words that follow, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” with quotation marks or with whatever other punctuation or convention your language may use to indicate a quotation.
1:15 t164 ὧν πρῶτός εἰμι ἐγώ 1 Here the term **first** has the sense of the superlative example of a class, in this case a negative class. Alternate translation: “and I am the worst one of all”
1:16 z5kg rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἠλεήθην 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express who showed **mercy** to Paul with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “Jesus had mercy on me”
1:16 epe2 ἵνα ἐν ἐμοὶ πρώτῳ 1 Alternate translation: “so that through me, the worst sinner of all”
1:17 k9sc δὲ 1 Paul here uses the word **Now** to introduce a change in what he is writing. As a result of what he has been teaching Timothy, he now writes a blessing to and about God. Use a word to indicate this change in your language, such as “so” or “now.”
1:17 ts5z rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns τιμὴ καὶ δόξα 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the abstract nouns **honor** and **grace** by stating the ideas behind the them with verbs. Alternate translation: “may people honor and glorify”
1:18 ijn8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ταύτην τὴν παραγγελίαν παρατίθεμαί σοι 1 Paul speaks of his instructions as if he could physically put them in front of Timothy. Alternate translations: “I am entrusting you with this command” or “this is what I am commanding you”
1:18 b6uq rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τέκνον 1 Paul speaks of his close relationship to Timothy as though they were father and **child**. This shows Paul’s sincere love and approval of Timothy. It is also likely that Paul personally led Timothy to trust in Christ, and that would be another reason why Paul considered him to be like his own child. Alternate translation: “you who are like my very own child”
1:18 y6jg κατὰ τὰς προαγούσας ἐπὶ σὲ προφητείας 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could state explicitly how these prophecies happened and who did this action. Alternate translation: “in agreement with what other believers prophesied about you”
1:18 w2ex rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor στρατεύῃ & τὴν καλὴν στρατείαν 1 Paul speaks about Timothy doing his best for the Lord as if he were a soldier fighting a battle. Alternate translation: “continue to do your best on behalf of the Lord”
1:19 jj6k rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἔχων πίστιν 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **faith** with a phrase that uses a verb such as “trust” or “believe.” Here, **faith** could refer to: (1) a relationship with Jesus. Alternate translation: “continue trusting in Jesus” (2) a belief in the message about Jesus. Alternate translation: “keep believing the true teaching”
1:19 ly6q rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἀγαθὴν συνείδησιν 1 See how you translated this phrase in [1:5](../01/05.md). Alternate translation: “continuing to choose to do what is right instead of what is wrong”
1:19 h2wk rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τινες & περὶ τὴν πίστιν ἐναυάγησαν 1 Paul speaks of these people as if they were a ship that had sunk. He means that these people no longer believe in Jesus and no longer live as his followers. You could use this same figure, or a similar one from your culture, if your readers would understand this meaning. Otherwise, you could state as an alternative translation, “no longer belong to Jesus”
1:19 dyr6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns περὶ τὴν πίστιν 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **faith**. Here, **faith** could refer to: (1) a relationship with Jesus (or God). Alternate translation: “their relationship with Jesus” (2) the teachings about Jesus. Alternate translation: “the message about Jesus”
1:20 pv7f rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-names Ὑμέναιος & Ἀλέξανδρος 1 **Hymenaeus** and **Alexander** are names of two men.
1:20 ty7n rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor οὓς παρέδωκα τῷ Σατανᾷ 1 Paul speaks as if he physically took hold of these men and handed them **to Satan**. If this does not make sense in your language, you could state it plainly. Alternate translation: “I have allowed Satan to command them”
1:20 az10 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit οὓς παρέδωκα τῷ Σατανᾷ 1 This probably means that Paul expelled them from the community of believers. Since they are no longer a part of the community, Satan has access to them and can harm them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you may want to include this information in a footnote. Alternate translation: “I have allowed Satan to make them suffer”
1:20 s76c rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἵνα παιδευθῶσι 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who would do the action. Alternate translation: “so that God may teach them”
2:intro c6rf 0 # 1 Timothy 2 General Notes\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### Peace\n\nPaul encourages Christians to pray for everyone. They should pray for rulers so that Christians can live peacefully, in a godly and dignified way.\n\n### Women in the church\n\nScholars are divided over how to understand this passage in its historical and cultural context. Some scholars believe that God created men and women to serve in distinctly different roles in marriage and the church. Other scholars believe that God wants women to use the gifts He gives them on an equal basis with men. Translators should be careful not to let how they understand this issue affect how they translate this passage.
2:1 yk2z rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom πρῶτον πάντων 1 As in [1:15](../01/15.md), the term **first** means the superlative example of a class. Alternate translation: “most importantly”
2:1 ql7a rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ποιεῖσθαι δεήσεις, προσευχάς, ἐντεύξεις, εὐχαριστίας 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who would do the action and who would receive the action. Alternate translation: “I urge all believers to make requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings to God”
2:1 t183 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations ἀνθρώπων 1 Paul uses the term **men** here in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “people”
2:2 g4va rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet ἤρεμον καὶ ἡσύχιον βίον 1 The terms **peaceful** and **quiet** mean the same thing. Paul uses them together for emphasis. He wants all believers to be able to live their lives without having trouble with the authorities. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these terms. Alternate translation: “an undisturbed life”
2:2 pb58 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἐν πάσῃ εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ σεμνότητι 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could express the idea behind the abstract nouns **godliness** and **dignity** with phrases that use verbs such as “honor” and “respect.” Alternate translation: “that honors God and that other people will respect”
2:3 t186 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet καλὸν καὶ ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον & Θεοῦ 1 The terms **good** and **acceptable** mean similar things. Paul may be using them together for emphasis. If you think that having both terms in your translation might be confusing for your readers, you could combine them. Alternate translation: “very pleasing to God”
2:4 i3ze rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ὃς πάντας ἀνθρώπους θέλει σωθῆναι 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form. Alternate translation: “who wants to save everyone”
2:4 t188 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations πάντας ἀνθρώπους 1 Paul uses the term **men** here in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “everyone”
2:4 n26m rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν 1 Paul speaks of learning the truth about God as if it were a place where people could **come**. Alternate translation: “to know and accept what is true”
2:5 t666 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown εἷς καὶ μεσίτης Θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων 1 A **mediator** is a person who helps negotiate a peaceful settlement between two parties who disagree with each other. Alternate translation: “and one person who is able to reconcile God and people”
2:5 t191 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations ἀνθρώπων 1 Paul uses the term **men** here in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “people”
2:5 t192 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations ἄνθρωπος Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς 1 Paul is likely using the term **man** in a generic sense to refer to the humanity of Jesus. Alternate translation: “Christ Jesus, who is also human”
2:6 fm1c rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit τὸ μαρτύριον 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could make it explicit that this demonstrated specifically that God wants to save all people. Alternate translation: “as the proof that God wants to save all people”
2:6 fq7r rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom καιροῖς ἰδίοις 1 This is an idiom. Alternate translation: “at the time that God had chosen”
2:7 iz4y rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἐτέθην ἐγὼ κῆρυξ καὶ ἀπόστολος 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “Jesus has made me, Paul, a preacher and a representative for him”
2:7 cbn6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown κῆρυξ 1 A **herald** is someone who is sent out to announce a message. If your language does not have a similar term and your readers would not know what a herald is, you can use a general expression for this. Alternate translations: “an announcer” or “a messenger”
2:7 qa8d rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor κῆρυξ 1 Paul compares himself to a **herald** because God has sent him out to announce the gospel message. Alternate translation: “a preacher”
2:7 hb97 ἐν Χριστῷ 1 Alternate translation: “as a follower of Christ”
2:7 yllf ἀλήθειαν λέγω ἐν Χριστῷ, οὐ ψεύδομαι 1 In order to emphasize what he is saying, Paul says the same thing twice, first positively and then negatively. If this is confusing in your language, you can express this once. Alternate translation: “I am telling you the truth as a follower of Christ”
2:7 h18q διδάσκαλος ἐθνῶν ἐν πίστει καὶ ἀληθείᾳ 1 Here, **faith and truth** could mean: (1) the content of what Paul teaches. Alternate translation: “I teach the Gentiles the message of faith and truth” (2) Paul’s character as a teacher. Alternate translation: “a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles”
2:7 t201 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hendiadys διδάσκαλος ἐθνῶν ἐν πίστει καὶ ἀληθείᾳ 1 If this phrase has the second meaning that the previous note discusses, Paul may be using the two terms **faith** and **truth** together to express one idea. Alternate translation: “I teach the Gentiles about the true faith”
2:8 a841 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations τοὺς ἄνδρας ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ 1 Here the word **men** refers specifically to males. The term is not generic, since Paul addresses women next. Alternate translations: “the males in all places” or “men everywhere”
2:8 unw6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-symaction ἐπαίροντας ὁσίους χεῖρας 1 It was the customary posture in this culture for people to raise their **hands** while praying. You could translate this in a way that would make that clear. Alternate translation: “reverently lifting up their hands in the customary way”
2:8 yzg3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche προσεύχεσθαι & ἐπαίροντας ὁσίους χεῖρας 1 Paul describes one part of the person, the **hands**, as holy to indicate that the entire person is to be holy. Alternate translation: “to lift up their hands to pray in holiness”
2:8 t206 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hendiadys χωρὶς ὀργῆς καὶ διαλογισμοῦ 1 Here Paul expresses a single idea by using two words connected with **and.** The word **anger** tells what kind of **argument** the men should avoid. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this meaning with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: “without angry arguments”
2:9 t207 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis ὡσαύτως 1 Here Paul leaves out some of the words that a sentence would ordinarily need in order to be complete. Alternate translation: “in the same way, I also want”
2:9 sw21 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown μὴ ἐν πλέγμασιν 1 During this time, many Roman women braided their hair lavishly to try to make themselves attractive. If your readers would not be familiar with the practice of braiding hair, you could express this idea in a more general way. Alternate translations: “they should not have fancy hairstyles” or “they should not have elaborate hairstyles that attract attention”
2:9 t210 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche μὴ ἐν πλέγμασιν 1 Paul mentions **braids** and **gold** as ways a woman could give undue attention to her hair. At the time, women would make elaborate braided hairstyles, often weaving in chains of gold. Alternate translations: “not with fancy hairstyles” or “not by means of elaborate hairstyles that attract attention”
2:9 rf5v rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown μαργαρίταις 1 These **pearls** are beautiful and valuable mineral balls that people use as jewelry. They are formed inside the shell of a small animal that lives in the ocean. If your readers would not be familiar with pearls, you could express this idea in a more general way. Alternate translation: “decorations made from valuable materials”
2:11 gb7a rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ 1 Paul may be saying that he wants the women to listen rather than to speak. Alternate translation: “by listening”
2:11 c7sh ἐν πάσῃ ὑποταγῇ 1 Alternate translation: “and submit to the authority of the teacher”
2:12 t216 εἶναι ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ 1 As in [2:11](../02/11.md), Paul may be saying that he wants the women to listen rather than to speak. Alternate translation: “she should listen quietly”
2:13 iv31 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive Ἀδὰμ & πρῶτος ἐπλάσθη 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “God created Adam first”
2:13 v7v6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis εἶτα Εὕα 1 Here Paul leaves out some of the words that a sentence would ordinarily need in order to be complete. Alternate translation: “and then God created Eve”
2:14 wq5k rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive Ἀδὰμ οὐκ ἠπατήθη 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “Adam was not the one whom the serpent deceived”
2:14 n6td rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἐξαπατηθεῖσα, ἐν παραβάσει γέγονεν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “but it was the woman who disobeyed God when the serpent deceived her”
2:14 t221 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἐν παραβάσει γέγονεν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the abstract noun **transgression** by stating the ideas behind it with a verbal phrase. Alternate translations: “began to sin” or “began to disobey God”
2:15 krx4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast δὲ 1 Paul uses the word **But** to indicate that this sentence provides a contrast to the previous sentence.
2:15 t222 σωθήσεται 1 Here, **she** likely refers to Eve, mentioned in the preceding verse, and whom Paul describes as “the woman.” Later in the sentence, **they** refers to women in general. To show how Paul shifts the topic from Eve, a representative woman, to all women, the word **she** could be translated here as “women.”
2:15 u8iv σωθήσεται & διὰ τῆς τεκνογονίας 1 This could mean: (1) people thought that women would be condemned because of Eve’s sin and punished even more than with the pain of childbearing (See: Genesis 3:16), or they may have thought that a woman who believed in Jesus was no longer under the punishment that God gave in Genesis 3:16. Since the Greek word translated **through** can also mean “with” or “while,” Paul may be saying here that women continue to have the punishment of pain in childbirth but will be saved from additional punishment as long as they have faith in Jesus. Alternate translation: “God will save women, although they do have to endure childbirth” (2) the women of the church in Ephesus were being led away from faith in Jesus by the false teachers (See: 2 Timothy 3:6), so Paul is recommending that they focus on raising their families rather than listening to (or participating in) the “foolish talk” (1:6). Alternate translation: “God will save women as they attend to their families” (3) a reference to the birth of Jesus as a human child to be the Savior. Alternate translation: “God will save women through Jesus, who was born as a child”
2:15 i0ap rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche διὰ τῆς τεκνογονίας 1 If option number 2 from the previous note is correct, then Paul is referring to all of the aspects of motherhood by mentioning the beginning part of it: **childbearing**. Alternate translation: “as they attend to their families”
2:15 n818 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive σωθήσεται 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “God will save women”
2:15 gh3c ἐὰν μείνωσιν 1 Here, **they** refers to women. Paul switches from the singular to the plural as he switches from talking about Eve as the representative of women to women in general. Alternate translation: “if women continue living”
2:15 sl57 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἐν πίστει, καὶ ἀγάπῃ, καὶ ἁγιασμῷ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the abstract nouns **faith**, **love**, and **holiness** by stating the ideas behind them with verbs. Alternate translation: “trusting Jesus, loving others, and living in a holy way”
2:15 dcf3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom μετὰ σωφροσύνης 1 Here, **with self-control** could mean: (1) with good judgment. (2) with modesty. (3) with clear thinking.
3:intro d9db 0 # 1 Timothy 3 General Notes\n\n## Structure and formatting\n\n[3:16](../03/16.md) was probably a song, poem, or creed the early church used to express what it understood to be the meaning of who Jesus was and what he did.\n\n### Overseers and deacons\n\nThe church has used different titles for church leaders. Some titles include elder, pastor, and bishop. The word “overseer” reflects the Greek term in verses 1–2, which means literally an “over-seer.” The word “bishop” is derived directly from the letters of this Greek term. Paul writes about another kind of church leader, a “deacon,” in verses 8 and 12.\n\n### Character qualities\n\nThis chapter lists several qualities that an overseer or deacon in the church must have. (See: [[rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]])
3:1 t227 πιστὸς ὁ λόγος 1 As in [1:15](../01/15.md), in this context the term **word** has a meaning more like “statement” or “message.” Alternate translation: “this statement is dependable”
3:1 t228 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-quotemarks πιστὸς ὁ λόγος 1 Paul uses this phrase to introduce a direct quotation. It may be helpful to your readers if you indicate this by setting off the words that follow in the rest of the verse with quotation marks or with whatever other punctuation or convention your language may use to indicate a quotation.
3:1 t229 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown ἐπισκοπῆς 1 The term **overseer** describes a leader of the early Christian church whose work was to take care of the spiritual needs of believers and make sure that they received accurate biblical teaching. Alternate translation: “spiritual leader”
3:2 dff6 μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα 1 Here, **of one wife** means that he has only one wife, that is, he does not have any other wives or concubines. This also means that he does not commit adultery and may also mean that he has not divorced a previous wife. Alternate translations: “a man who has only one woman” or “a man who is faithful to his wife”
3:2 qnq9 νηφάλιον, σώφρονα, κόσμιον, φιλόξενον 1 Alternate translation: “not do anything to excess, reasonable and behave well, welcoming to strangers”
3:3 c2c7 μὴ πάροινον, μὴ πλήκτην, ἀλλὰ ἐπιεικῆ, ἄμαχον 1 Alternate translation: “not drink alcohol to excess, not fight and argue, but instead, gentle and peaceful”
3:3 pc2g rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἀφιλάργυρον 1 If the expression **loving** money would not convey the idea of something inappropriate in your language, it might be helpful to use a term that expresses the idea of “greed.” Alternate translation: “not greedy for money”
3:4 a8gu προϊστάμενον 1 Alternate translations: “he should lead” or “he should take care of”
3:4 w3un ἐν ὑποταγῇ, μετὰ πάσης σεμνότητος 1 This could mean: (1) the overseer’s children should obey their father and show respect to him. Alternate translation: “who obey him completely respectfully” (2) the overseer’s children should show respect to everyone. Alternate translation: “who obey him and show respect to everyone” or (3) the overseer should show respect to those in his household as he leads them. Alternate translation: “who obey him as he treats them with respect”
3:5 n5lt rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion εἰ δέ τις τοῦ ἰδίου οἴκου προστῆναι οὐκ οἶδεν, πῶς ἐκκλησίας Θεοῦ ἐπιμελήσεται? 1 Paul is making a statement, not actually asking a question. He does not expect Timothy to explain how a man who could not manage his own household could take care of God’s church. Instead, Paul is using the question form to emphasize how important it is for an overseer to demonstrate faithfulness in his personal life before assuming a leadership role in the church. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate these words as a statement. Alternate translation: “I say this because a man who is not able to manage his own household will certainly not be able to take care of the church of God”
3:5 c814 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ἐκκλησίας Θεοῦ 1 Here the term **church** refers to a local group of God’s people, not to a building. Alternate translations: “a group of God’s people” or “a local gathering of believers”
3:6 t240 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit τυφωθεὶς 1 Paul is warning that a new convert might become excessively proud if he were given an important leadership position right away. Alternate translation: “becoming proud of himself”
3:6 t241 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τυφωθεὶς 1 Paul describes being proud as if it made a person swell in size. Alternate translation: “thinking that he is better than others”
3:6 v6f5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἵνα μὴ & εἰς κρίμα ἐμπέσῃ τοῦ διαβόλου 1 Paul describes the experience of being condemned for having done wrong as like falling into a hole. Alternate translation: “and have God condemn him … as he condemned the devil”
3:7 si1d rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τῶν ἔξωθεν 1 Paul speaks of the church as though it were a place and unbelievers were physically **outside** of it. Alternate translation: “those who are not believers”
3:7 qsa6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor μὴ εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν ἐμπέσῃ 1 Paul speaks of **disgrace** as if it were a hole that a person could **fall into**. Alternate translation: “so that he does not do anything that would make him ashamed”
3:7 t245 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor παγίδα τοῦ διαβόλου 1 Paul speaks of **the devil** tempting someone to sin as if it were a **trap** that could catch a person. Alternate translation: “so that the devil is not able to tempt him to sin”
3:8 sxq4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor μὴ διλόγους 1 Paul speaks about some people as if they could say two things at once. Alternate translation: “not saying one thing but meaning something else”
3:8 g5qi rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublenegatives μὴ διλόγους 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind **not double-talkers** positively. Alternate translation: “honest in what they say”
3:9 c44a rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἔχοντας 1 Paul speaks of true teaching about God as if it were an object that a person could hold. Alternate translation: “continuing to believe”
3:9 jda1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns τὸ μυστήριον 1 Paul uses the abstract noun **mystery** to refer to a truth that had existed for some time but that God was revealing at that moment. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this term with a verb such as “reveal.” Alternate translation: “what God has now revealed”
3:9 rfv7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns τὸ μυστήριον τῆς πίστεως 1 Here, **faith** refers to the content of the **mystery**, that is, the specific things that God has revealed and that followers of Jesus must believe. Alternate translation: “the teachings that God has revealed to us”
3:9 y91f rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν καθαρᾷ συνειδήσει 1 Paul speaks of a person’s sense of right and wrong being **clean**, which means that it assures that person that he has done nothing wrong. Alternate translation: “knowing that they are not doing anything wrong”
3:10 hl1p rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive καὶ οὗτοι & δοκιμαζέσθωσαν πρῶτον 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who would the action. Alternate translations: “the leaders should observe and approve of them first” or “they should first prove themselves”
3:11 xyc9 γυναῖκας 1 This could mean: (1) deacons’ wives. (2) female deacons.
3:11 q5qx σεμνάς 1 Alternate translations: “must be people who act properly” or “must be people who are worthy of respect”
3:11 a12k μὴ διαβόλους 1 Alternate translation: “not saying malicious things about other people”
3:11 akm5 νηφαλίους 1 See how you translated **sober** in [3:2](../03/02.md). Alternate translation: “not doing anything to excess”
3:12 wji2 μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρες 1 See how you translated this phrase in [3:2](../03/02.md). Review the note there if that would be helpful. Alternate translations: “not married to more than one woman” or “faithful to their wives”
3:12 dv31 τέκνων καλῶς προϊστάμενοι καὶ τῶν ἰδίων οἴκων 1 Alternate translation: “taking proper care of their children and their personal affairs”
3:13 rfq2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result γὰρ 1 Paul here uses the word **For** to introduce what the results will be if people with the qualifications he has just described are chosen as church leaders. Alternate translation: “After all”
3:13 t259 οἱ & καλῶς διακονήσαντες 1 This phrase could refer either to deacons, whom Paul has just discussed, or to overseers as well, as a conclusion to Paul’s entire discussion of church leaders. Alternate translations: “deacons who serve well” or “church leaders who serve well”
3:13 cv34 βαθμὸν & καλὸν 1 This could mean: (1) an honorable position. (2) a good reputation.
3:13 m684 καὶ πολλὴν παρρησίαν ἐν πίστει τῇ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ 1 This could mean: (1) they will speak more confidently to other people about believing in Jesus. (2) they will trust in Jesus with even more confidence.
3:14 t262 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἐν τάχει 1 The expression **in quickness** describes Paul’s haste and urgency. Alternate translation: “as soon as I can”
3:14 zzzu rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-go ἐλθεῖν 1 In some languages it is more natural to say “go” here, rather than **come**. Alternate translation: “to go”
3:15 z9z8 ἐὰν δὲ βραδύνω 1 This phrase does not imply that Paul might choose to take his time rather than hurrying. Alternate translations: “but in case I cannot get there soon” or “but if something prevents me from getting there soon”
3:15 p9u4 ἵνα εἰδῇς πῶς δεῖ ἐν οἴκῳ Θεοῦ ἀναστρέφεσθαι 1 Paul speaks of the group of believers as a family because God adopts each believer as a son or daughter through Christ. This could refer to: (1) the believers in general. Alternate translation: “so that you all may know how to conduct yourselves as members of God’s family” (2) Timothy’s behavior in the church. Alternate translation: “so that you may know how to conduct yourself as a member of God’s family”
3:15 wzk3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-distinguish οἴκῳ Θεοῦ & ἥτις ἐστὶν ἐκκλησία Θεοῦ ζῶντος 1 This phrase gives us further information about **the household of God**. It is not making a distinction between a household of God that is the church and one that is not the church. Alternate translation: “household of God, by which I mean the community of people who believe in the living God”
3:15 cd5r rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor στῦλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας 1 Paul speaks of the truth as if it were a building and of the community of believers as if they were helping to hold up that building. Alternate translation: “which helps to proclaim God’s truth”
3:15 t267 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet στῦλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα 1 The terms **pillar** and **support** mean basically the same thing. They are architectural features that hold up parts of buildings. Paul uses the terms together for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine them into an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: “which helps promote”
3:15 sg64 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom Θεοῦ ζῶντος 1 Alternate translations: “the God who is genuinely alive” or “the true God”
3:16 w473 μέγα ἐστὶν τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον 1 While in most of this letter Paul uses the term **godliness** to describe godly living, in this instance the term instead seems to describe the reverence for God that would lead a person to live a right life. Alternate translation: “the truth that God has revealed, that leads us to worship him, is great”
3:16 t271 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit μέγα ἐστὶν τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον 1 Since Paul follows this statement by quoting a hymn or poem about the life of Jesus, the implication is that he sees Jesus as having made it possible for people to worship God in the most genuine way. Alternate translation: “the truth that God has revealed about why we worship Jesus is great”
3:16 y8sp rc://*/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry ὃς ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκί, ἐδικαιώθη ἐν Πνεύματι, ὤφθη ἀγγέλοις, ἐκηρύχθη ἐν ἔθνεσιν, ἐπιστεύθη ἐν κόσμῳ, ἀνελήμφθη ἐν δόξῃ 1 This is most likely a song or poem that Paul is quoting. If your language has a way of indicating that this is poetry, such as through line-by-line formatting, you could use that here.
3:16 m4xi rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ὃς ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκί 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form. (Be sure not to suggest in your translation that Jesus only seemed or appeared to be human.) Alternate translations: “he revealed himself as a human being” or “he came to earth as a human being”
3:16 rqp6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ἐν σαρκί 1 Paul uses the term **flesh** here to mean “in a human body.” He is describing the human body by reference to something associated with it, the flesh that envelops it. Alternate translation: “as a true human being”
3:16 gm36 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἐδικαιώθη ἐν Πνεύματι 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form. Alternate translation: “the Holy Spirit confirmed that he was who he said he was”
3:16 fn1k rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ὤφθη ἀγγέλοις 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form. Alternate translation: “the angels saw him”
3:16 c3wx rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἐκηρύχθη ἐν ἔθνεσιν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “people in many nations told others about him”
3:16 h9mb rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἐπιστεύθη ἐν κόσμῳ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “people throughout the world believed in him”
3:16 jz11 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἀνελήμφθη ἐν δόξῃ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “God the Father took him up to heaven in glory”
3:16 mr3a rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἀνελήμφθη ἐν δόξῃ 1 The abstract noun **glory** refers to the way Jesus received power from God the Father and is worthy of honor. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this term with an adjective such as “powerful” and a verb such as “admire.” Alternate translation: “God the Father took him up to heaven, making him powerful and making everyone admire him”
4:intro b39h 0 # 1 Timothy 4 General Notes\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\nPaul speaks in [4:14](../04/14.md) of prophecy. A “prophecy” is a message that God communicates to people through someone to whom He has given a special gift of hearing and conveying these messages. The specific prophecy that Paul describes revealed how Timothy would become a gifted leader of the church. (See: [[rc://*/tw/dict/bible/kt/prophet]])\n\n## Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter\n\n### Cultural practices\n\nIn verse 14 Paul speaks of church leaders placing their hands on Timothy. That was one way of indicating publicly that a person was being placed in a leadership position in the church.\n\n### Variation in names\n\nIn this chapter Paul speaks of church leaders called “elders.” They seem to be the same kind of leaders that he calls “overseers” in chapter 3.
4:1 jzr9 δὲ 1 Paul here uses the word **Now** to introduce background information that will help Timothy and the believers in Ephesus understand the next part of his letter. The false teachings that Timothy must oppose are something that the Spirit has already predicted. You can translate the term with the word or phrase in your language that is most similar in meaning and significance.
4:1 b739 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς 1 This expression refers to the time period when God’s purposes in history are approaching their culmination and so the evil opposition to them increases. Paul is probably referring to the time period between Jesus’ resurrection and his second coming. Alternate translation: “in these days as God’s purposes advance”
4:1 b931 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἀποστήσονταί τινες τῆς πίστεως 1 Paul speaks of people ceasing to trust in Christ as if they were physically leaving a place. Alternate translation: “some people will stop trusting in Jesus”
4:1 hw98 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἀποστήσονταί τινες τῆς πίστεως 1 Here, **faith** could refer to: (1) the teachings about Jesus. Alternate translation: “some people will stop believing the teachings about Jesus” (2) trust in Jesus. Alternate translation: “some people will stop trusting in Jesus”
4:1 ae5w rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet πνεύμασι πλάνοις καὶ διδασκαλίαις δαιμονίων 1 These two phrases mean similar things. Paul may be using them together for emphasis. If you think having both phrases in your translation might be confusing for your readers, you could combine them into a single expression. Alternate translation: “to the things that evil spirits say to trick people”
4:2 pw29 ἐν ὑποκρίσει ψευδολόγων 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could start a separate sentence here. Alternate translation: “The people who teach these things are hypocrites, and they tell lies”
4:2 u2f4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor κεκαυστηριασμένων τὴν ἰδίαν συνείδησιν 1 Paul is speaking of these people as if their sense of right and wrong had been ruined like skin that someone had burned with a hot iron. Alternate translation: “they will not have any sense of right and wrong any more”
4:2 t288 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive κεκαυστηριασμένων τὴν ἰδίαν συνείδησιν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form. Alternate translation: “they will be people who have destroyed their sense of right and wrong”
4:3 t289 κωλυόντων γαμεῖν 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “These people teach that it is wrong to marry”
4:3 wd2l rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit κωλυόντων γαμεῖν 1 The implication of this phrase is that these false teachers will forbid believers to **marry**. Alternate translation: “these people will forbid believers to marry”
4:3 t291 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis ἀπέχεσθαι βρωμάτων 1 Here Paul leaves out some of the words that a sentence would ordinarily need in order to be complete. He does not mean that these false teachers will forbid believers to abstain from certain foods, but that the false teachers will require them to abstain from certain foods. In other words, the meaning of **forbidding** does not carry forward from the previous clause; rather, the meaning of “requiring” should be supplied. Alternate translation: “they will require believers to abstain from certain foods”
4:3 m1d6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἀπέχεσθαι βρωμάτων 1 The implication of this phrase is that these false teachers will forbid only certain **foods** and that they will impose this restriction on believers. Alternate translation: “they will forbid believers to eat certain foods”
4:3 t293 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet τοῖς πιστοῖς καὶ ἐπεγνωκόσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν 1 These two expressions mean the same thing. Paul uses them together for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these terms. Alternate translation: “by the genuine believers”
4:3 t294 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-nominaladj τοῖς πιστοῖς 1 Paul is using the adjective **faithful** as a noun to refer to a class of people that it describes. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate it with a noun phrase. Alternate translation: “by people who believe in Jesus”
4:4 pppf rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result ὅτι 1 The word **For** communicates that what follows is the reason for what Paul just said. Use a natural way in your language to give a reason. Alternate translation: “that is true because”
4:4 dv4s rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-distinguish πᾶν κτίσμα Θεοῦ καλόν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the phrase **every creation** with a relative clause. Alternate translation: “everything that God created is good”
4:4 a15j rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive οὐδὲν ἀπόβλητον μετὰ εὐχαριστίας λαμβανόμενον 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who would do the action. Alternate translation: “we are free to eat anything that we can thank God for”
4:5 gwcs rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result γὰρ 1 The word **for** communicates that what follows is the reason for the last part of what Paul has just said. In other words, it is the reason why “nothing being received with thanksgiving is vile.” Use a natural way in your language to give a reason. Alternate translation: “because”
4:5 m5mb rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἁγιάζεται 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form. Alternate translations: “it becomes holy” or “it is suitable to eat”
4:5 fhd6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy διὰ λόγου Θεοῦ 1 In this context, the term **word** has a specific meaning. It refers to the pronouncement that God made in his word that everything that he created was good. Alternate translation: “because of what God said about it”
4:5 t300 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit καὶ ἐντεύξεως 1 In context, the implication is that this refers to prayers of thanksgiving to God for food. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “and because of the thanks that people offer to God for it in prayer”
4:6 ks5x rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ταῦτα ὑποτιθέμενος τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς 1 Paul speaks of his instructions as if they were objects that could be physically placed in front of the other believers. Alternate translation: “if you help the believers remember these things”
4:6 h6qr rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς 1 Paul is using the term **brothers** in a generic sense that includes men and women. Alternate translation: “the brothers and sisters”
4:6 uyeb rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς 1 The term **the brothers** means fellow believers in Jesus. Alternative translation: “your fellow believers”
4:6 t304 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἐντρεφόμενος τοῖς λόγοις τῆς πίστεως, καὶ τῆς καλῆς διδασκαλίας ᾗ παρηκολούθηκας 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state what is doing the action. Alternate translation: “the statements of what we believe, expessed in proper teaching, are causing you to trust more strongly in Christ”
4:6 f8vs rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐντρεφόμενος τοῖς λόγοις τῆς πίστεως, καὶ τῆς καλῆς διδασκαλίας ᾗ παρηκολούθηκας 1 Paul speaks of these statements and teachings as if they could physically feed Timothy and make him strong. Alternate translation: “the statements of what we believe, expressed in proper teaching, are causing you to trust more strongly in Christ”
4:6 ny78 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy τοῖς λόγοις τῆς πίστεως, καὶ τῆς καλῆς διδασκαλίας 1 Paul uses the term **words** to describe the statements of belief and the teachings that explain them, both expressed in words. Alternate translation: “the statements of what we believe, expressed in proper teaching”
4:7 th4i τοὺς & βεβήλους καὶ γραώδεις μύθους 1 See how you translated **myths** in [1:4](../01/04.md) and **profane** in [1:9](../01/09.md). Alternate translation: “foolish, made-up stories in which nothing is sacred”
4:7 elk7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom γραώδεις μύθους 1 The term **old-womanish** is an idiom that means “silly” or “foolish.” Paul tells Timothy in [5:2](../05/02.md) that he should respect older women as mothers, so Paul’s expression here should be recognized as idiomatic rather than disrespectful. Your language may have a similar expression. Alternate translation: “old wives’ tales”
4:7 sea5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor γύμναζε & σεαυτὸν πρὸς εὐσέβειαν 1 Paul tells Timothy to work to develop godly character as if he were an athlete improving his physical conditioning. Alternate translation: “diligently practice acting in ways that please God”
4:8 t311 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-quotemarks γὰρ 1 What follows after the word **for** is a direct quotation of a saying that Paul uses for teaching. It may be helpful to your readers if you indicate this by setting off the words that follow in the rest of the verse with quotation marks or with whatever other punctuation or convention your language may use to indicate a quotation.
4:8 t313 πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶν ὠφέλιμος 1 This could mean: (1) it has some small value. (2) it has value for a little while. (3) it does not have very much value.
4:9 t315 πιστὸς ὁ λόγος 1 As in [1:15](../01/15.md) and [3:1](../03/01.md), in this context, the term **word** means “statement” or “saying.” (Paul is referring to the entire saying that he quoted in the previous verse.) Alternate translation: “this statement is dependable”
4:9 hc1t καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος 1 See how you translated this phrase in [1:15](../01/15.md). Alternate translations: “and we should believe it without any doubt” or “and we should have full confidence in it”
4:10 l2yl rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ 1 The term **this** refers to “godliness,” which Paul mentions in the previous two verses. Paul is giving a reason why Timothy should believe the saying about the value of godliness. He and his other fellow workers are striving very hard to become godly, so it must be valuable. Alternate translation: “after all, it is for godliness that”
4:10 c9db rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet κοπιῶμεν καὶ ἀγωνιζόμεθα 1 The terms **toil** and **struggle** mean basically the same thing. Paul uses them together to emphasize the intensity with which he and his fellow workers are serving God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these terms. Alternate translation: “we work so hard”
4:10 t320 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive κοπιῶμεν καὶ ἀγωνιζόμεθα 1 This could be the one place where **we** does not include the addressee. Paul has just told Timothy to make godliness his priority rather than physical exercise, and he may be offering himself and his other fellow workers as an example of that for Timothy to follow. So if your language makes that distinction, you may wish to use the exclusive form in this phrase. However, **we** in the next phrase would include Timothy, since Paul is encouraging Timothy to join him and his fellow workers in making godliness his priority as someone who, like them, has hoped in the living God.
4:10 qmj6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom Θεῷ ζῶντι 1 See how you translated this phrase in [3:15](../03/15.md). Alternate translations: “the God who is genuinely alive” or “the true God”
4:10 t322 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations πάντων ἀνθρώπων 1 Paul uses the term **men** here in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “of all people”
4:12 qi8l μηδείς σου τῆς νεότητος καταφρονείτω 1 The term **despise** here does not mean “hate,” but “think little of” or “scorn.” Alternate translation: “Do not let anyone disrespect you just because you are young”
4:12 t325 ἐν λόγῳ 1 In this context, the term **word** means “what you say.” Alternate translation: “in your speech”
4:13 t326 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state explicitly what Timothy is to read and to whom, and whom he is to exhort and teach. Alternate translation: “continue reading the Scriptures to the people in the church there, exhorting them, and teaching them”
4:13 kky7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the abstract nouns **reading**, **exhortation**, and **teaching** by translating them with verbal phrases. Alternate translation: “continue reading the Scriptures to the people in your meeting there, exhorting them, and teaching them”
4:14 i1ka rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublenegatives μὴ ἀμέλει 1 You can translate this phrase in a positive way if that is more natural for your language. Alternate translations: “continue to use” or “make sure you develop”
4:14 t22x rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος 1 Paul speaks of Timothy as if he were a container that could hold God’s **gift**. Alternate translation: “do not neglect the ability that God has given you”
4:14 hdd9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος 1 The implication is that this **gift** is the ability that God has given Timothy for ministry. Alternate translation: “do not neglect the ability that God has given you”
4:14 xp1k rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ὃ ἐδόθη σοι διὰ προφητείας 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “which you received when leaders of the church prophesied about you”
4:14 rr8f rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-symaction ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου 1 Paul is speaking of a ceremony during which the church leaders put their **hands** on Timothy and prayed that God would enable him to do the work he had commanded him to do. Alternate translation: “when the elders all laid their hands on you”
4:15 sbcg rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ταῦτα 1 If it is helpful in your language, you may want to make explicit what **these things** are. Alternate translation: “these things that I am telling you”
4:15 m65m rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι 1 Paul is speaking as if Timothy could physically be inside the instructions he has just given him. Alternate translation: “and follow them consistently”
4:15 merc rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit σου ἡ προκοπὴ 1 If it is helpful in your language, you may want to make explicit in what way Timothy is to make **progress**. Alternate translation: “your increasing ability to live the way that Jesus wants you to live”
4:16 uq6c ἔπεχε σεαυτῷ καὶ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ 1 Alternate translation: “Pay attention to how you live and to what you teach”
4:16 zxe7 ἐπίμενε αὐτοῖς 1 Alternate translation: “Continue to do these things”
4:16 u7ez καὶ σεαυτὸν σώσεις καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου 1 This could mean: (1) Timothy will save himself and those who hear him from God’s judgment (2) Timothy will protect himself and those who hear him from the influence of false teachers. Perhaps Paul means both things since, if Timothy can persuade the people of the church in Ephesus not to listen to the false teachers, then he will also spare them from God’s judgment for the wrong things they would have done if they had listened to those teachers. Alternate translation: “you will keep both yourself and your listeners from believing and doing the wrong things”
5:intro jx4e 0 # 1 Timothy 5 General Notes\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### Honor and respect\n\nPaul encourages younger Christians to honor and respect older Christians. Cultures honor and respect older people in different ways.\n\n### Widows\n\nIn the ancient Near East, it was important to care for widows because they could not provide for themselves.\n\n### Variation in names\n\nIn this chapter, as in chapter 4, Paul speaks of church leaders called “elders.” Here, as well, they seem to be the same kind of leaders that he calls “overseers” in chapter 3.
5:1 wt5y rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-you 0 # General Information:\n\nPaul was giving these commands to one person, Timothy. Languages that have different forms of “you” or different forms for commands would use the singular form here.
5:1 enp9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile ὡς πατέρα, νεωτέρους ὡς ἀδελφούς 1 Paul uses these two similes to tell Timothy that he should treat fellow believers with the same sincere love and respect that he would show to family members. Alternate translation: “as if he were your own father, and encourage younger men as if they were your own brothers”
5:2 t1pv rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-simile ὡς μητέρας, νεωτέρας ὡς ἀδελφὰς 1 Paul uses these two similes to tell Timothy that he should treat fellow believers with sincere love and respect, just as he would treat family members. Alternate translation: “encourage each of them as if they were your own mother, and encourage younger women as if they were your own sisters”
5:2 ivl7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνίᾳ 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **purity** by translating it with an adjective such as “pure.” Alternate translation: “making sure that your thoughts and actions are pure”
5:3 smp5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom χήρας τίμα 1 This is an idiom. Alternate translation: “Provide for widows”
5:3 qc6s τὰς ὄντως χήρας 1 Alternate translation: “widows who have no one else to provide for them”
5:4 vv64 τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα 1 Here these **children** and **grandchildren** are adults who are able to care for others, not young children.
5:4 w38h πρῶτον 1 This could mean one of two things, or possibly both: (1) of all of their religious duties, taking care of their family is the most important one and the one that they should learn to do before anything else. Alternate translation: “as the most basic part of belonging to God’s people” (2) these children and grandchildren should be the first ones to take care of their family members, before the rest of the congregation. Alternate translation: “before the church offers any support”
5:4 fnab μανθανέτωσαν & εὐσεβεῖν 1 Here, **learn** means to practice, that is, to learn by doing. Alternate translation: “let them become proficient in honoring”
5:4 t344 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism μανθανέτωσαν & τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν, καὶ ἀμοιβὰς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις 1 These two phrases may: (1) mean similar things and you could combine them if that would be helpful to your readers. If **honor** is an idiom for “provide” here, as in the previous verse, then Paul may be using repetition for emphasis. Alternate translation: “let them provide the support that their widowed mother or grandmother needs and deserves” (2) have a slight difference in meaning, and you could also choose to bring that out in your translation. Paul may actually be giving two reasons why people should support their widowed mothers or grandmothers. Alternate translation: “this is a respectful thing to do for widowed family members, and it will repay them for supporting their children and grandchildren as they were growing up”
5:4 g5mu rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον 1 Paul uses this phrase to refer to family members, by association to the way they live in the same house. Alternate translations: “their own family members” or “those living in their homes”
5:4 q5c8 ἀμοιβὰς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις 1 Alternate translation: “let them do good to their mother or grandmother in return for the good things their parents and grandparents gave them”
5:4 t347 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result γάρ 1 Paul uses the term **for** to introduce an additional reason why family members should support their widowed mothers or grandmothers. Alternate translation: “also”
5:4 t348 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τοῦτο & ἐστιν ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 Paul uses the expression **before God**, which means “in front of God,” to mean “where God can see.” Alternate translations: “this is pleasing in God’s view” or “this pleases God”
5:5 xp1u rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hendiadys ἡ & ὄντως χήρα καὶ μεμονωμένη 1 The two words **genuine** and **left-alone** work together to describe one condition, and they may be combined if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: “a widow who is genuinely alone” Or it may be that **left-alone** further defines **genuine**. Alternate translation: “a real widow, that is, one who has no family”
5:5 ggk0 ἡ & χήρα 1 Here, **the … widow** does not refer to any specific widow, but to all widows who meet this description. Alternate translations: “any … widow” or “all … widows”
5:5 u1lj rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis προσμένει ταῖς δεήσεσιν καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς 1 Paul leaves a verb unexpressed here that your language might need to express. Alternate translations: “continues in making requests and prayers” or “continues to make requests and to offer prayers”
5:5 rwp4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hendiadys ταῖς δεήσεσιν καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς 1 The phrase **requests and prayers** expresses a single idea by using two words connected with **and**. The word **requests** tells what kind of **prayers** Paul is talking about here. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this phrase by stating the meaning with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translations: “making requests to God in prayer” or “praying to God for what she needs”
5:5 rb9f rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-merism νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας 1 The words **night** and **day** are used together to mean that she prays to God often, no matter what time it is. It does not mean that she prays all night and all day without ever stopping. Alternate translation: “at all times”
5:6 qy5h rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ζῶσα τέθνηκεν 1 Paul speaks about people who do not seek to please God as if they were dead. Alternate translation: “has died in her spirit, even though she is still alive physically”
5:7 qw6m καὶ ταῦτα παράγγελλε, ἵνα ἀνεπίλημπτοι ὦσιν 1 This statement seems to refer back to [4:11](../04/11.md), “Command and teach these things,” which Paul tells Timothy after telling him in [4:6](../04/06.md) to “place these things before the brothers.” So **they** seems to refer to all the believers in this situation, including the widows, their families, and the local church that is supposed to organize the list of widows and make sure that the widows are cared for well. Alternate translation: “also give these instructions to the believers, so that no one will be able to accuse them of doing anything wrong”
5:8 p7h2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom τις τῶν ἰδίων καὶ μάλιστα οἰκείων οὐ προνοεῖ 1 Here, **his own** is an idiom that means “his own relatives.” Alternate translation: “a person does not help with his relatives’ needs, and especially those of the family members living in his home”
5:8 y645 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns τὴν πίστιν ἤρνηται 1 Here, **the faith** refers to believing in Jesus and obeying him. Paul explains that this action would be equivalent to denying all of this. Alternate translations: “by doing that, he denies that he belongs to Jesus” or “he has shown that he does not follow the Messiah”
5:8 evm7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἔστιν ἀπίστου χείρων 1 The implication is that this person is **worse than an unbeliever** because even unbelievers take care of their own relatives. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “is worse than those who do not believe in Jesus, because they do take care of their relatives”
5:9 s8ql rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive χήρα καταλεγέσθω 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who would do the action. Alternate translation: “Have the church put a widow on the register”
5:9 khe1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit χήρα καταλεγέσθω 1 There seems to have been a list of widows who had no family to help them. The church members met these women’s needs for food, clothing, and shelter, and these women then devoted their lives to serving the Christian community. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this phrase explicitly. Alternate translation: “Have the church put a woman on the list of widows who truly need help”
5:9 i27x rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-litotes μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα 1 Paul is using the figure of speech **not less than** here that expresses a positive meaning by using a negative word together with a word that is the opposite of the intended meaning. Alternate translation: “if she is at least sixty years old”
5:9 q9dj rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή 1 Like the similar expression in [3:2](../03/02.md), this could mean: (1) she has only one husband. Alternate translation: “she was always faithful to her husband” (2) she was only married once. If it means this second possibility, it is not clear whether Paul means to exclude women who were married more than once and widowed each time, or more specifically women who divorced their husbands and married other men. Alternate translation: “she had one husband”
5:10 l8nm rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς μαρτυρουμένη 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “people must be able to attest to her good deeds”
5:10 ygl3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-symaction ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψεν 1 In this culture, people walked barefoot or in sandals on roads that were dusty or muddy, so washing their feet once they entered a home was a way of helping them be comfortable and clean. If the people of your culture would not be familiar with this practice, you could use a general expression instead. Alternate translation: “she has cared for believers who visited her”
5:10 t366 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψεν 1 Paul may be using one type of humble service to represent humble service in general. Alternate translation: “has done humble things to help other believers”
5:10 bw4h rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom ἁγίων 1 The term **saints** refers to believers in Jesus as people who are “holy” or “set apart” for God. Alternate translations: “the believers” or “God’s holy people”
5:10 ey6i rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-nominaladj θλιβομένοις ἐπήρκεσεν 1 Paul is using the adjective **afflicted** as a noun to refer to a class of people that it describes. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this term by translating it with a noun phrase. Alternate translation: “she has helped people who were suffering”
5:10 h96j rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ ἐπηκολούθησεν 1 Paul uses the word **every** here as a generalization for emphasis. Alternate translation: “she has done many good deeds”
5:11 rv5h νεωτέρας δὲ χήρας παραιτοῦ 1 Alternate translation: “But do not add the names of widows who are younger than 60 years old to the list of widows”
5:11 vqq9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ὅταν & καταστρηνιάσωσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ 1 The implication of this phrase is that when a widow accepted a place on the register, she promised to remain unmarried and devote herself to serving other believers. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate this explicitly. Alternate translation: “when they feel bodily desires that are contrary to their pledge of chastity”
5:12 t372 ἔχουσαι κρίμα 1 Alternate translation: “and so they incur God’s judgment”
5:12 nha7 τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ἠθέτησαν 1 The term **pledge** here refers to a commitment that the widows made, as the last note to [5:11](../05/11.md) explains, that they would serve the Christian community for the rest of their lives and not remarry if the community would supply their needs. Alternate translations: “they have not kept their prior commitment” or “they have not done what they had previously promised to do”
5:13 t4iv καὶ ἀργαὶ μανθάνουσιν 1 Alternate translation: “they also get into the habit of doing nothing”
5:13 t375 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-nominaladj ἀργαὶ 1 Paul is using the adjective **lazy** as a noun to refer to a class of people that it describes. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this term by translating it with a noun phrase. Alternate translation: “people who are lazy”
5:13 nll4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet φλύαροι καὶ περίεργοι, λαλοῦσαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα 1 These three phrases may be ways of speaking about the same activity. Paul may be using repetition to emphasize that these women should not be looking into the private lives of people and telling about them to others who would be no better off after hearing this gossip. If you think it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine these phrases into a single one. Alternate translation: “people who interfere openly in other people’s business” (A doublet can consist of more than two terms.)
5:13 cym5 φλύαροι 1 Alternate translation: “people who talk nonsense”
5:14 u94k τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ 1 This expression could refer by implication to: (1) This could refer to: (1) Satan. This is the reading of UST. Alternate translation: “the devil” (2) unbelievers who are opposing the followers of Jesus. Alternate translation: “unbelievers who are opposing you”
5:15 fy54 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐξετράπησαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Σατανᾶ 1 Paul speaks of living in faithfulness to Christ as if it were a path that one can either follow or turn aside from. He means that some younger widows have stopped obeying Jesus and have started to do what Satan would want them to do instead. Alternate translation: “have stopped living in obedience to Jesus and have decided to obey Satan”
5:16 mf4s rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἔχει χήρας 1 The implication is that she **has widows** within her extended family. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “has relatives who are widows”
5:16 y6hf rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor καὶ μὴ βαρείσθω ἡ ἐκκλησία 1 Paul speaks of the community having to help more people than it is able to help as if it were carrying too much weight on its back. Alternate translations: “so that the church will not have more work than it can do” or “so that the Christian community will not have to support widows whose families could provide for them”
5:16 t384 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive καὶ μὴ βαρείσθω ἡ ἐκκλησία 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form. Alternate translations: “so that the church will not have more work than it can do” or “so that the Christian community will not have to support widows whose families could provide for them”
5:17 u93q rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι & ἀξιούσθωσαν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who would do the action. Alternate translation: “All believers should consider elders who are good leaders to be deserving”
5:17 wp9d rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns διπλῆς τιμῆς 1 Here, **double honor** could mean: (1) the congregation should honor the elders in two ways. Alternate translation: “of both respect and payment for their work” (2) they should honor them twice as much as others. Since Paul quotes two Scriptures in the next verse that support the idea of church leaders being paid for their work, the first possibility is more likely. Alternate translation: “of more respect than others receive”
5:17 t389 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hendiadys ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ 1 This phrase may be expressing a single idea by using two phrases (which are actually just two words in Greek) connected with **and**. The phrase **in the word** would be identifying the content of the **teaching**. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this connection by stating the meaning with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: “at teaching from the Scriptures”
5:17 t390 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy λόγῳ 1 Paul may be using the term **word** here to describe the Scriptures, which God inspired people to put into words. Alternate translation: “the Scriptures”
5:18 kh55 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-personification λέγει γὰρ ἡ Γραφή 1 Paul describes **Scripture** as if it could speak for itself. Alternate translations: “for it is written in the Scriptures” or “for we read in the Scriptures that”
5:18 t392 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-declarative βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις 1 Here the Scriptures use a statement in order to give a command. Alternate translation: “You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading on grain”
5:18 vw3a rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις 1 Paul is quoting this passage. He is using it to indicate that, just as God wanted oxen to be able to eat some of the grain that they were working to separate from its husks, so church leaders deserve to receive payment from the Christian community that they are serving.
5:18 g985 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις 1 A **muzzle** is a sleeve that goes over an animal’s snout to prevent it from opening its jaws and eating while it is doing work. If your readers would not be familiar with this object, you could use a more general expression instead. Alternate translations: “Do not keep an ox’s mouth shut” or “You must not prevent an ox from eating”
5:18 t6kp rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown βοῦν ἀλοῶντα 1 An **ox** in this culture would “thresh” grain by walking on it or pulling a heavy object over it to separate the grain from the husks. Alternate translation: “an ox that is separating grain from husks”
5:19 af68 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-exceptions κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου, ἐκτὸς εἰ 1 If, in your language, it would appear that Paul was making a statement and then contradicting it, you could reword this statement to avoid using an exception clause. Alternate translation: “only believe that an accusation is true if”
5:19 t399 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis ἐπὶ δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων 1 Here, **on** stands for the concept of “relying on.” You may need to use a more complete phrase in your language. Alternate translations: “you are relying on the testimony of two or three people” or “at least two people give evidence for it”
5:20 db63 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐνώπιον & πάντων 1 Paul uses the expression **before** to mean “in front of.” Alternate translations: “where everyone can see” or “in public”
5:20 ql4m rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἵνα καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ φόβον ἔχωσιν 1 If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state what, by implication, people will be afraid of doing. Alternate translation: “so that other people will be afraid to sin themselves”
5:20 t404 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom φόβον ἔχωσιν 1 This is an idiom. Alternate translation: “will be afraid”
5:21 x0zp διαμαρτύρομαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν ἀγγέλων 1 By calling on **God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels** as witnesses to what Paul is saying, Paul is making Timothy responsible to God to do what he says. If this is not clear, then put this into the form that your language uses for an oath. Alternate translation: “as God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels are my witnesses, I put you under oath”
5:21 t405 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ 1 Paul uses the expression **before**, meaning “in front of,” to indicate “where they can see.” Seeing, in turn, means attention and judgment. Alternate translation: “as God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels are watching”
5:21 t7jq rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν ἀγγέλων 1 This phrase refers to the **angels** whom God has **chosen** to serve him in a special way. Alternate translation: “the angels who are God’s special servants”
5:21 t409 ταῦτα 1 Grammatically, this could refer either to the instructions Paul has just given Timothy about elders or to the instructions he is about to give Timothy regarding his own personal conduct. But since Paul tells Timothy to follow these instructions without favoring one person over another, it is most likely that this refers to the instructions about elders. Alternate translation: “these things that I have just told you”
5:21 t408 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet χωρὶς προκρίματος, μηδὲν ποιῶν κατὰ πρόσκλισιν 1 The terms **partiality** and **favoritism** mean similar things. Paul may be using repetition to emphasize that Timothy must judge honestly and be fair to everyone. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these terms. Alternate translation: “being completely fair to everyone”
5:22 qb71 rc://*/ta/man/translate/translate-symaction χεῖρας ταχέως μηδενὶ ἐπιτίθει 1 The “placing of hands” was a ceremony in which one or more church leaders would put their hands on people and pray that God would enable them to serve the church in a way that would please God. Timothy was to wait until a person had shown good character for a long time before officially and publicly setting that person apart in this way to serve the Christian community. Alternate translation: “Do not appoint a person to church leadership until he has consistently demonstrated good character”
5:22 t411 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-litotes χεῖρας ταχέως μηδενὶ ἐπιτίθει, μηδὲ 1 Paul is using a figure of speech here that expresses a positive meaning by using a negative word together with a word that is the opposite of the intended meaning. Alternate translation: “Wait until a person has consistently demonstrated good character before appointing that person to church leadership, and do not”
5:22 pyl8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit μηδὲ κοινώνει ἁμαρτίαις ἀλλοτρίαις 1 The implication in context may be that if Timothy appoints a person to leadership before they are ready or without ensuring that their character is exemplary, then Timothy will bear some responsibility for that person’s ultimate failure as a leader, or he will appear to have approved of the person’s sins, once they are uncovered. Alternate translation: “so that you do not become responsible for the moral and leadership failures of others”
5:23 xl32 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit οἴνῳ ὀλίγῳ χρῶ 1 Paul is telling Timothy to use wine specifically as medicine. The water in that area was impure and often caused sickness. Alternate translation: “in addition, you should drink some wine from time to time as medicine”
5:24 uk56 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations τινῶν ἀνθρώπων 1 Paul uses the term **men** here in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “of some people”
5:24 ug1z rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-personification πρόδηλοί εἰσιν, προάγουσαι εἰς κρίσιν 1 Paul speaks of sins as if they could move on their own ahead of a person to the place where that person will be judged for committing them. Here, **judgment** could refer to: (1) the judgment when the sinner stands before God on the last day. Alternate translation: “are so obvious that everyone knows they are guilty long before God declares them guilty” (2) judgment before the church. Alternate translation: “are clear to everyone, even before the church leaders confront them”
5:24 i1c6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-personification τισὶν δὲ καὶ ἐπακολουθοῦσιν 1 Paul speaks once again of sins as if they could move on their own. As in the previous clause, this could refer to: (1) judgment by God. Alternate translation: “but the sins of other people do not become evident until God judges them” (2) judgment by the church. Alternate translation: “but the sins of some people remain hidden for a long time” This latter alternative also allows the possibility that Paul is referring to judgment by God.
5:25 pd8v rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit καὶ τὰ ἔργα τὰ καλὰ πρόδηλα 1 Implicitly, here Paul does not mean all good works, since in the rest of the sentence he speaks of some good works that are not evident. Alternate translation: “most good works are also obvious”
5:25 qlu5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit τὰ ἔργα τὰ καλὰ 1 The implication of **good works** is that these works are considered **good** because they are consistent with God’s character, purposes, and will. Alternate translation: “actions that God approves”
5:25 bl51 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor καὶ τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα, κρυβῆναι οὐ δύναταί 1 Paul speaks of good works as if they were objects that someone could hide. Alternate translation: “and people will find out later about even those good deeds that are not obvious”
5:25 t420 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive καὶ τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα, κρυβῆναι οὐ δύναταί 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who will do the action. Alternate translation: “and people who secretly do good works will not be able to hide them forever”
5:25 bb2t rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublenegatives κρυβῆναι οὐ δύναταί 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the double-negative **not … hidden** in a positive way. Alternate translation: “people will learn about them later”
6:intro rks4 0 # 1 Timothy 6 General Notes\n\n## Special concepts in this chapter\n\n### Slavery\n\nIn this chapter Paul teaches slaves about honoring, respecting, and diligently serving their masters. This does not mean that he is endorsing slavery as a good thing or as something that God approves of. Instead, Paul is encouraging believers to be godly and content in every situation that they are in. This does not mean that they cannot also work to change those situations.
6:1 nm4n rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ὅσοι εἰσὶν ὑπὸ ζυγὸν δοῦλοι 1 Paul speaks of people who work as **slaves** as though they were oxen plowing or pulling with a **yoke** around their necks. Alternate translation: “Concerning people who are working as slaves”
6:1 ep1l rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ὅσοι εἰσὶν & δοῦλοι 1 The implication in context is that Paul is speaking about believers who are slaves. Alternate translation: “All the believers who are working as slaves”
6:1 he2n rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἵνα μὴ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἡ διδασκαλία βλασφημῆται 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who would do the action. Alternate translation: “so that unbelievers will not insult God’s character or what we believe and teach”
6:1 e3ce ἵνα μὴ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἡ διδασκαλία βλασφημῆται 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this negative phrase in a positive way. Alternate translation: “so that unbelievers will always speak respectfully about God’s character and about the things that we teach”
6:1 xb92 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 Here, **name** is a figurative way of referring to the fame or reputation of a person. Alternate translations: “God’s character” or “God’s reputation”
6:1 f5pc rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἡ διδασκαλία 1 Implicitly Paul means **the teaching** about Jesus and about how his followers should live. Alternate translation: “our teaching about how believers should live”
6:2 fvv7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations ἀδελφοί εἰσιν 1 Here, **brothers** means fellow believers in Jesus, whether male or female. Alternate translation: “they are fellow believers”
6:2 nmh9 καὶ ἀγαπητοὶ 1 This could have either, or both, meanings: (1) God loves these people. Alternate translation: “whom God loves” (2) other believers love these people. Alternate translation: “and so their believing slaves should love them”
6:3 t430 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ὑγιαίνουσι λόγοις 1 See how you translated the term **healthy** in [1:10](../01/10.md). Here, as well, it is a figurative way to say that the teaching is good and reliable in every way and has no defect or corruption. A person with a healthy mind would recognize this teaching as correct. Alternate translations: “to the correct words” or “to the true expression of our faith”
6:3 t431 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ὑγιαίνουσι λόγοις 1 Paul uses the term **words** to describe the verbal expression of what followers of Jesus genuinely believe. Alternate translation: “to the true expression of our faith”
6:3 sshf τοῖς τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ 1 Here, **the ones** could refer to: (1) the message about the Lord Jesus. (2) words spoken by the Lord Jesus.
6:4 pn8n rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor τετύφωται 1 Paul speaks of a person who is excessively proud as if they were inflated with air. See how you translated this phrase in [3:6](../03/06.md). Alternate translation: “he is excessively proud”
6:4 t433 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive τετύφωται 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the phrase **puffed up** with an active form. Alternate translation: “he is excessively proud”
6:4 t434 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations τετύφωται 1 Here, **he** refers to anyone in general who teaches what is not correct. Alternate translation: “that person is excessively proud”
6:4 z2rb rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole μηδὲν ἐπιστάμενος 1 Paul uses the term **nothing** here as a generalization for emphasis. It is specifically God’s true message that the person does not understand. Alternate translation: “he understands nothing about God’s truth”
6:4 qu86 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor νοσῶν περὶ ζητήσεις 1 Paul speaks of people who feel compelled to engage in useless arguments as if they were ill. Such people greatly desire to argue, and they do not really want to find a way to agree. Alternate translation: “morbidly craves arguments”
6:4 i3lk rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet ζητήσεις καὶ λογομαχίας 1 These two terms mean basically the same thing, although the second term refers more specifically to arguments about the meaning of words. Paul uses these terms together for emphasis. If these are not separate ideas in your language, you could combine them. Alternate translation: “arguments”
6:4 xt1z λογομαχίας 1 Alternate translation: “fights about the meaning of words”
6:4 y3mx βλασφημίαι 1 While the term **blasphemies** often refers to untrue or disrespectful things that people say about God, in this context it refers to people falsely saying bad things about each other. Alternate translation: “insults”
6:4 kn69 ὑπόνοιαι πονηραί 1 Alternate translation: “thinking incorrectly that others want to harm them”
6:5 x93f rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor διαπαρατριβαὶ 1 Here, **friction** is the last item in the list that began in the previous verse, a litany of bad things that result from “controversies and word-battles.” This is a metaphor. It compares two results: the heat and damage which occur when two objects rub together and the irritation and anger that can occur when people interact badly. Alternate translation: “and constant conflict”
6:5 z2d8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive διεφθαρμένων ἀνθρώπων τὸν νοῦν καὶ ἀπεστερημένων τῆς ἀληθείας 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form. Alternate translation: “between people whose minds are corrupt and who no longer believe the truth”
6:5 tyf7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism διεφθαρμένων ἀνθρώπων τὸν νοῦν καὶ ἀπεστερημένων τῆς ἀληθείας 1 These two phrases mean basically the same thin; Paul uses the repetition for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases. Alternate translation: “people who are no longer able to recognize the truth”
6:5 t443 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations ἀνθρώπων 1 Paul uses the term **men** here in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “between people”
6:6 q5sq rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast δὲ 1 Paul uses the word **But** to introduce a contrast between what the false teachers believe about godliness and what is really true about godliness. Alternate translation: “instead”
6:6 ya9z rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἡ εὐσέβεια μετὰ αὐταρκείας 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the abstract nouns **godliness** and **contentment** by stating the ideas behind them with verbal phrases. Alternate translation: “doing what is godly along with being content with what a person has”
6:6 o6j4 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἔστιν & πορισμὸς μέγας 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **gain** with a verbal phrase. Alternate translation: “makes a person very well off”
6:7 t446 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result γὰρ 1 Paul uses the word **For** to introduce the reason for what he said in the previous sentence. Alternate translation: “After all”
6:7 j6qv rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit οὐδὲν & εἰσηνέγκαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον 1 The implication of this phrase is that Paul is speaking about when a person is born. Alternate translation: “brought nothing into the world when we were born”
6:7 t448 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis ὅτι 1 Here Paul leaves out some of the words that a sentence would ordinarily need in order to be complete. Alternate translation: “and so it is also clear that”
6:7 jlv8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit οὐδὲ ἐξενεγκεῖν τι δυνάμεθα 1 The implication of this phrase is that Paul is speaking about when a person dies. Alternate translation: “we can take nothing out of the world when we die”
6:8 lbk5 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-declarative ἀρκεσθησόμεθα 1 Here Paul uses a statement in order to express a moral imperative. Alternate translation: “that should be enough for us”
6:8 t451 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἀρκεσθησόμεθα 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form. Alternate translation: “that should be enough for us”
6:9 ij4j rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast δὲ 1 Paul uses the word **Now** to indicate that he is returning to the topic of those who think being godly will make them wealthy. You can translate the term with the word or phrase in your language that is most similar in meaning and significance.
6:9 pl5d rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐμπίπτουσιν εἰς πειρασμὸν, καὶ παγίδα 1 Paul speaks about those who let the **temptation** of money cause them to sin as if they were animals that **fall into** a hole that a hunter is using as **a trap**. Alternate translation: “will encounter more temptation than they can resist”
6:9 gfy7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor καὶ ἐπιθυμίας πολλὰς ἀνοήτους καὶ βλαβεράς 1 This phrase continues the figure of speech from the previous phrase. Paul speaks about these desires if they too were a hole that a hunter was using as a trap. Alternate translation: “and will experience destructive impulses than they cannot overcome”
6:9 t456 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hendiadys ἐπιθυμίας & ἀνοήτους καὶ βλαβεράς 1 Here Paul expresses a single idea by using two words connected with **and.** The word **foolish** tells why these desires are **harmful**. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this connection by stating the meaning with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: “destructive impulses”
6:9 nc3i rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor αἵτινες βυθίζουσι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς ὄλεθρον καὶ ἀπώλειαν 1 This phrase summarizes the character of the temptations and impulses that Paul has just described. He speaks of them as if they could make people drown in deep water. Alternate translation: “which people cannot escape, and such things destroy them”
6:9 t458 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations ἀνθρώπους 1 Paul uses the term **men** here in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “people”
6:9 t459 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet ὄλεθρον καὶ ἀπώλειαν 1 These two words **ruin** and **destruction** mean very similar things. Paul uses them both to emphasize that this is very bad. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use one term with a word that adds emphasis. Alternate translations: “complete destruction” or “total ruin”
6:10 t460 rc://*/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result γὰρ 1 Paul uses the word **For** to introduce the reasons for what the previous sentence stated. Alternate translation: “This is because”
6:10 xs9d rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ῥίζα & πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστιν ἡ φιλαργυρία 1 Paul speaks of evil as if it were a plant, and of **the love of money** as if it were the **root** from which that plant grew. Alternate translation: “loving money leads a person to do all kinds of wrong things”
6:10 t462 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole πάντων τῶν κακῶν 1 Paul uses the term **all** here as a generalization for emphasis. Alternate translation: “of many kinds of wrong things”
6:10 j5z9 τινες ὀρεγόμενοι 1 The reference here is to people **desiring** money, not evil. You could start a new sentence here if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: “some people who want to become rich”
6:10 b83v rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως 1 Paul speaks of the desire for money as if it were an evil guide that intentionally leads people down the wrong path. Alternate translation: “have stopped believing in Jesus because of their desire for money”
6:10 t465 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive ἧς τινες ὀρεγόμενοι, ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form. Alternate translations: “which has led some people away from believing in Jesus” or “a love for money that has led some people to stop following Jesus”
6:10 a1fx rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἑαυτοὺς περιέπειραν ὀδύναις πολλαῖς 1 Paul speaks about grief as if it were a sword that people use to stab themselves. Alternate translation: “have experienced great sorrows in their lives”
6:11 h9c6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ταῦτα φεῦγε 1 Paul speaks of these temptations and sins as if they were things a person could physically run away from. Alternate translation: “make sure that you do not do these things”
6:11 a88g ταῦτα 1 This phrase could refer to: (1) everything Paul has been talking about in this section of the letter (false teachings, pride, arguments, and the love of money). (2) what Paul has been talking about most recently (the love of money). If possible, it is best to leave it as a general reference.
6:11 zjl3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor δίωκε 1 Paul speaks of righteousness and other good qualities as if they were things that a person could run after and catch. This metaphor is the opposite of “flee from.” It means to try your best to obtain something. Alternate translation: “seek to acquire”
6:12 w21p rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἀγωνίζου τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα τῆς πίστεως 1 Here, Paul speaks about a person persevering in following Jesus as if he were a warrior fighting at his best, or an athlete doing his best to win an event. Alternate translation: “Do your best to obey Jesus”
6:12 y6m8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἐπιλαβοῦ τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς 1 Paul speaks about people wanting **eternal life** so much that they hold onto it firmly in their hands. He may be continuing the metaphor of an athlete who worked hard to win an event and now holds the trophy in his hands. Alternate translations: “eagerly desire to live with God forever” or “do whatever is necessary to pursue life with God forever”
6:12 usd1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive εἰς ἣν ἐκλήθης 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who did the action. Alternate translation: “to which God called you”
6:12 vm6q rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἐνώπιον πολλῶν μαρτύρων 1 The implication is that Timothy’s statement of his faith was binding because these **witnesses** were present and could testify that he had made it. In your translation, you could use the expression used in your culture for a public, legal commitment. Alternate translation: “while many people were watching”
6:13 t476 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ 1 The implication is that Paul is asking **God** to be his witness that he has given Timothy this command. Alternate translation: “with God as my witness”
6:13 t477 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ 1 The implication is that Paul is also asking **Jesus** to be his witness. Alternate translation: “and with Christ Jesus as my witness as well”
6:13 amy1 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit τοῦ μαρτυρήσαντος ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πειλάτου τὴν καλὴν ὁμολογίαν 1 Paul is offering Jesus to Timothy as an example of someone who publicly affirmed his obedience to God even when others were hostile and threatening. Alternate translation: “who acknowledged God himself when Pontius Pilate put him on trial”
6:14 p9n9 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet ἄσπιλον ἀνεπίλημπτον 1 The terms **spotless** and **irreproachable** mean similar things. Paul may be using them together for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these terms and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “completely blameless”
6:14 t480 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἄσπιλον 1 A spot means a moral fault. This could mean: (1) Timothy should live in such a way that Jesus will not find fault with him or blame him for doing wrong. (2) Timothy should live in such a way that other people will not find fault with him or blame him for doing wrong. Alternate translation: “blameless”
6:15 t482 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom καιροῖς ἰδίοις 1 See how you translated this expression in [2:6](../02/06.md). Alternate translation: “at the time that God will choose”
6:15 ac6y rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit ὁ μακάριος καὶ μόνος Δυνάστης 1 This expression refers implicitly to God. Alternate translation: “God, the One we praise, who alone rules over the world”
6:16 t487 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων 1 Paul uses the term **men** here in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: “no human being”
6:17 te3z rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-nominaladj τοῖς πλουσίοις 1 Paul is using the adjective **rich** as a noun to refer to a class of people that it describes. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this term by translating it with a noun phrase. Alternate translation: “people who are rich”
6:17 z4ec ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι 1 The **present age** is the time period in which we are living, before Jesus returns and establishes God’s rule over all people. Alternate translation: “at this time”
6:17 drj6 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns ἐπὶ πλούτου ἀδηλότητι 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun **uncertainty** with a verbal phrase. Alternate translations: “in riches, which are so uncertain” or “in wealth, which a person can lose so easily”
6:17 iq61 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis πάντα πλουσίως εἰς ἀπόλαυσιν 1 By **all**, Paul is referring to all of the things that anyone actually has, not to everything that it might be possible to have. If it would be helpful in your language, you may want to include words to make that clear. Alternate translation: “all of the things that we have so that we can enjoy them”
6:18 cii3 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor πλουτεῖν ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς 1 Paul speaks of doing things to help others as a way of becoming wealthy, but it is measured in something other than money. Alternate translation: “to serve and help others in many ways”
6:19 zc9d rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἀποθησαυρίζοντας ἑαυτοῖς θεμέλιον καλὸν εἰς τὸ μέλλον 1 Paul speaks about the blessings that God will give to those who have served him faithfully as if they were riches that a person was **storing** in a safe place. Alternate translation: “securing a good start now on their future life in God’s presence”
6:19 t493 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἀποθησαυρίζοντας ἑαυτοῖς θεμέλιον καλὸν εἰς τὸ μέλλον 1 Paul also speaks about the blessings that God will give as if they were the **foundation** of a building. He means that they will give a person a good start on their new life in the presence of God forever. Alternate translation: “securing a good start now on their future life in God’s presence”
6:19 t494 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom εἰς τὸ μέλλον 1 In the New Testament, this expression can refer to different things, but in this case it seems to refer to the new life that believers will have in God’s presence after death and the end of history. It is equivalent to the expression “for the coming life” in [4:8](../04/08.md). Alternate translation: “for their future life in God’s presence”
6:19 z5ru rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor ἵνα ἐπιλάβωνται τῆς ὄντως ζωῆς 1 Paul is using the same image as in the phrase **grasp** eternal **life** in [6:12](../06/12.md). He is speaking about people wanting eternal life so much that they hold onto it firmly in their hands. Alternate translation: “so that they can indeed live with God forever”
6:20 dd1v rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit τὴν παραθήκην φύλαξον 1 The implication is that Jesus has entrusted Timothy with the message to proclaim about him. Alternate translation: “protect the message about Jesus that he has put in your care”
6:20 vgr8 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy ἐκτρεπόμενος τὰς βεβήλους κενοφωνίας 1 In order to avoid **profane chatter**, Timothy must avoid the people who do the chattering. Alternate translation: “do not pay attention to the talk of people for whom nothing is sacred”
6:20 t498 καὶ ἀντιθέσεις 1 This could mean: (1) the false teachers are saying things that are contrary to true Christian belief. Alternate translations: “and teachings that contradict us” or “and the opposing statements” (2) the false teachers are saying things that cannot all be true at the same time.
6:20 y2u7 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive τῆς ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this passive phrase with an active form, and you could state who is doing the action. Alternate translation: “of what some people falsely call knowledge”
6:21 e6rb rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor περὶ τὴν πίστιν ἠστόχησαν 1 See how you translated this expression in [1:6](../01/06.md). Paul speaks of faith in Christ as if it were a target that people should aim at. Alternate translation: “have not fulfilled the purpose of faith in Jesus”
6:21 t501 ἡ χάρις μεθ’ ὑμῶν 1 If it would be helpful in your language, you could state explicitly who will give this grace and who Paul is thinking will make this happen. Alternate translation: “May God give grace to all of you”
6:21 hix2 rc://*/ta/man/translate/figs-you ἡ χάρις μεθ’ ὑμῶν 1 The word **you** is plural and refers to Timothy and all the believers at Ephesus. Alternate translation: “May God give grace to all of you”
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