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1 Timothy 6

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Instructions to Slaves and Masters 1–2

1
Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. ​
2
And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. ​

Warning Against False Teachers 3–5

3
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; ​
4
He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, ​
5
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. ​

Godliness and Contentment 6–10

6
But godliness with contentment is great gain. ​
7
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. ​
8
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. ​
10
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. ​

Timothy’s Personal Charge 11–16

11
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. ​
12
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. ​
13
I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; ​
14
That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: ​
15
Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; ​
16
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. ​

Instructions for the Rich 17–19

17
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; ​
18
That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; ​
19
Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. ​

Final Exhortation and Benediction 20–21

20
O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: ​
21
Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Timothy 6

Verse 1

under the yoke — Zugos, the yoke, here of bondservants (doulos); their ‘masters’ are despotes, as in Titus 2:9 and 1 Pet 2:18. The reason is the reputation of God: ‘the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed’, as ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you’ (Rom 2:24) and Titus 2:10, ‘adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour’.

Verse 2

believing masters — Pistos, believing. The slave is not to ‘despise’ (kataphroneo) a master ‘because they are brethren’, but ‘do them service’ (douleuo), the verb of slavery itself, ‘because they are faithful and beloved’. Philemon 16 gives the same word, ‘a brother beloved’, and Col 4:1 tells masters they ‘have a Master in heaven’.

Verse 3

teach otherwise — Heterodidaskaleo, to teach a different doctrine; only here and 1 Tim 1:3. ‘Wholesome’ is hugiaino, to be healthy, Paul’s word for true teaching in the letters to Timothy and Titus (‘sound words’, 2 Tim 1:13; ‘sound doctrine’, Titus 1:9). The test is ‘the words of our Lord Jesus Christ’ and doctrine ‘according to godliness’.

Verse 4

doting about questions — Noseo, to be sick with, a morbid craving, found only here; ‘strifes of words’ is logomachia, also only here. ‘Proud’ is tuphoo, the word of ‘lifted up with pride’ (1 Tim 3:6). The fruit is ‘envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings’, as ‘foolish and unlearned questions… do gender strifes’ (2 Tim 2:23).

Verse 5

supposing that gain is godliness — ‘Perverse disputings’ is diaparatribe, found only here; ‘corrupt’ is diaphtheiro. ‘Gain’ is porismos, the same noun as ‘great gain’ in v.6, so that one word is used for what they suppose and what is true. ‘Withdraw thyself’ (aphistemi) is the instruction of 2 Tim 3:5, ‘from such turn away’.

Verse 6

godliness with contentment is great gain — Autarkeia, self-sufficiency, translated ‘contentment’; elsewhere only in 2 Cor 9:8 (‘all sufficiency’). Its adjective is Paul’s own ‘content’ in Phil 4:11: ‘in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content’. The ‘gain’ (porismos) answers the supposed gain of v.5.

Verse 7

we brought nothing into this world — The verse restates Job 1:21, ‘Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither’, and Eccl 5:15, ‘shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand’. ‘Brought in’ is eisphero and ‘carry out’ is ekphero; Ps 49:17 says the same of the rich man.

Verse 9

they that will be rich — ‘Will’ is boulomai, to purpose or resolve: the verse is about the wish to be rich, not the having. The ‘snare’ (pagis) is the ‘snare of the devil’ of 1 Tim 3:7 and 2 Tim 2:26. ‘Drown’ is buthizo, to sink, found elsewhere only in Luke 5:7, where the boats ‘began to sink’. ‘Perdition’ is apoleia.

Verse 10

the love of money — Philarguria, love of silver, found only here. ‘Coveted after’ is oregomai, to reach out for; ‘erred’ is apoplanao, to be led astray (Mark 13:22, ‘seduce’); ‘pierced… through’ is peripeiro, found only here. The ‘sorrows’ are many, the ‘foolish and hurtful lusts’ of v.9 carried to their end.

Verse 11

O man of God — The title is Moses’ (‘Moses the man of God’, Deut 33:1) and, in 2 Tim 3:17, the believer’s: ‘that the man of God may be perfect’. ‘Flee’ (pheugo) and ‘follow after’ (dioko, pursue) are paired again in 2 Tim 2:22, ‘Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace’.

Verse 12

Fight the good fight of faith — ‘Fight’ is the verb of the athletic contest, as in ‘every man that striveth for the mastery’ (1 Cor 9:25); Paul’s close is ‘I have fought a good fight’ (2 Tim 4:7). ‘Lay hold on’ (epilambanomai) eternal life returns in v.19. ‘Profession’ (homologia) is the ‘confession’ of v.13.

Verse 13

a good confession — Homologia, the word of Timothy’s ‘good profession’ in v.12 and of Christ’s confession before Pilate: ‘To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth’ (John 18:37). ‘Quickeneth all things’ is the God of Rom 4:17 ‘who quickeneth the dead’.

Verse 14

without spot, unrebukeable — Aspilos, unspotted, and anepileptos, not to be laid hold of for blame, used of the bishop and the widow in 3:2 and 5:7. ‘Appearing’ is epiphaneia, Paul’s word for Christ’s coming in 2 Tim 4:8 and Titus 2:13, ‘the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ’.

Verse 15

the blessed and only Potentate — Dunastes, a ruler with power, used also of the eunuch ‘of great authority’ under Candace (Acts 8:27). ‘In his times’ puts the appearing under God’s own timing. ‘King of kings, and Lord of lords’ rests on Deut 10:17, ‘God of gods, and Lord of lords’, and is Christ’s name in Rev 19:16.

Verse 16

dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto — Aprositos, unapproachable, found only here. ‘Immortality’ (athanasia) occurs elsewhere only in 1 Cor 15:53–54. The verse matches Ex 33:20, ‘there shall no man see me, and live’, and Ps 104:2, ‘Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment’; John 1:18 says ‘No man hath seen God at any time’.

Verse 17

uncertain riches — Adelotes, uncertainty, found only here: ‘the uncertainty of riches’, as ‘riches certainly make themselves wings’ (Prov 23:5). ‘Highminded’ is hupselophroneo, elsewhere only in Rom 11:20, ‘Be not highminded, but fear’. God ‘giveth us richly all things to enjoy’; compare Acts 14:17, where he ‘did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons’.

Verse 18

ready to distribute, willing to communicate — Eumetadotos and koinonikos are each found only here, the second from the root of koinonia, which is rendered ‘to communicate’ in Heb 13:16, ‘to do good and to communicate forget not’. ‘Do good’ is agathoergeo, also only here, and ‘rich in good works’ answers ‘rich in this world’ in v.17.

Verse 19

laying up in store… a good foundation — Apothesaurizo, to treasure up, found only here; Christ’s word is ‘lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven’ (Matt 6:20). ‘Lay hold on eternal life’ is the phrase of v.12 (epilambanomai), there addressed to Timothy and here to the rich.

Verse 20

that which is committed to thy trust — Parakatatheke, a deposit; elsewhere only in 2 Tim 1:14, ‘That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost’. ‘Vain babblings’ is kenophonia, empty sounds (2 Tim 2:16); ‘oppositions’ (antithesis) and ‘falsely so called’ (pseudonumos) are found only here. ‘Science’ means knowledge (gnosis).