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1 Timothy 1

New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel

1 Timothy chapter 1 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.

5 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint John Chrysostom.

1 Timothy 1

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ κατ᾽ ἐπιταγὴν Θεοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἡμῶν,

2To Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.Τιμοθέῳ γνησίῳ τέκνῳ ἐν πίστει· χάρις, ἔλεος, εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν.

3Just as I urged you to remain in Ephesus as I traveled into Macedonia, that you should command certain people not to teach differently,Καθὼς παρεκάλεσά σε προσμεῖναι ἐν Ἐφέσῳ, πορευόμενος εἰς Μακεδονίαν, ἵνα παραγγείλῃς τισὶ μὴ ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν,

4nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.μηδὲ προσέχειν μύθοις καὶ γενεαλογίαις ἀπεράντοις, αἵτινες ζητήσεις παρέχουσι μᾶλλον ἢ οἰκονομίαν Θεοῦ τὴν ἐν πίστει.

5Now the goal of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,Τὸ δὲ τέλος τῆς παραγγελίας ἐστὶν ἀγάπη ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας καὶ συνειδήσεως ἀγαθῆς καὶ πίστεως ἀνυποκρίτου·

6from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to futile talk,ὧν τινες ἀστοχήσαντες ἐξετράπησαν εἰς ματαιολογίαν,

7desiring to be teachers of the law, not understanding either what they say or what they affirm.θέλοντες εἶναι νομοδιδάσκαλοι, μὴ νοοῦντες μήτε ἃ λέγουσι, μήτε περὶ τίνων διαβεβαιοῦνται.

8But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,Οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι καλὸς ὁ νόμος, ἐάν τις αὐτῷ νομίμως χρῆται,

9knowing this: that the law is not laid down for the righteous, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for killers of fathers and killers of mothers, for murderers,εἰδὼς τοῦτο, ὅτι δικαίῳ νόμος οὐ κεῖται, ἀνόμοις δὲ καὶ ἀνυποτάκτοις, ἀσεβέσι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοῖς, ἀνοσίοις καὶ βεβήλοις, πατρολῴαις καὶ μητρολῴαις, ἀνδροφόνοις,

10for fornicators, for homosexuals, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is opposed to sound doctrine,πόρνοις, ἀρσενοκοίταις, ἀνδραποδισταῖς, ψεύσταις, ἐπιόρκοις, καὶ εἴ τι ἕτερον τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ ἀντίκειται,

11according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, with which I was entrusted.κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς δόξης τοῦ μακαρίου Θεοῦ, ὃ ἐπιστεύθην ἐγώ.

12And I give thanks to the One who empowers me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He considered me faithful, putting me into the ministry,Καὶ χάριν ἔχω τῷ ἐνδυναμώσαντί με Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ὅτι πιστόν με ἡγήσατο, θέμενος εἰς διακονίαν,

13I, who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I was shown mercy, because, being ignorant, I did it in unbelief,τὸν πρότερον ὄντα βλάσφημον καὶ διώκτην καὶ ὑβριστήν· ἀλλὰ ἠλεήθην, ὅτι ἀγνοῶν ἐποίησα ἐν ἀπιστίᾳ·

14and the grace of our Lord superabounded with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.ὑπερεπλεόνασε δὲ ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν μετὰ πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.

15Faithful is this word, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος, ὅτι Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῶσαι, ὧν πρῶτός εἰμι ἐγώ·

16However, because of this I was shown mercy, so that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, as a pattern for those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ἠλεήθην, ἵνα ἐν ἐμοὶ πρώτῳ ἐνδείξηται Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς τὴν πᾶσαν μακροθυμίαν, πρὸς ὑποτύπωσιν τῶν μελλόντων πιστεύειν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

17Now to the King of the Ages, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.Τῷ δὲ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων, ἀφθάρτῳ, ἀοράτῳ, μόνῳ σοφῷ Θεῷ, τιμὴ καὶ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων· ἀμήν.

18This charge I commit to you, my son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that you may war by them the good warfare,Ταύτην τὴν παραγγελίαν παρατίθεμαί σοι, τέκνον Τιμόθεε, κατὰ τὰς προαγούσας ἐπὶ σὲ προφητείας, ἵνα στρατεύῃ ἐν αὐταῖς τὴν καλὴν στρατείαν,

19having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,ἔχων πίστιν καὶ ἀγαθὴν συνείδησιν, ἥν τινες ἀπωσάμενοι περὶ τὴν πίστιν ἐναυάγησαν·

20of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.ὧν ἐστιν Ὑμέναιος καὶ Ἀλέξανδρος, οὓς παρέδωκα τῷ Σατανᾷ, ἵνα παιδευθῶσι μὴ βλασφημεῖν.

The Fathers on 1 Timothy 1

Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.

On 1 Timothy 1:1–2
Saint John Chrysostom
Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the First Epistle to Timothy

“Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.” [The R.V. omits κυρίουand translates: Christ Jesus our hope, τῆς ἐλπίδος ἡμῶν.]

Read Homilies on the First Epistle to Timothy →
On 1 Timothy 1:5–7
Saint John Chrysostom
Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the First Epistle to Timothy

“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.”

Read Homilies on the First Epistle to Timothy →
On 1 Timothy 1:12–14
Saint John Chrysostom
Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the First Epistle to Timothy

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry [R.V.: to his service, εἰς διακονίαν]; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exce...

Read Homilies on the First Epistle to Timothy →
On 1 Timothy 1:15–16
Saint John Chrysostom
Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the First Epistle to Timothy

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlast...

Read Homilies on the First Epistle to Timothy →
On 1 Timothy 1:18–19
Saint John Chrysostom
Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the First Epistle to Timothy

“This charge I commit unto thee, son [my child, τέκνον] Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest [mayest] war a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away have made shipwreck concerning the faith.”

Read Homilies on the First Epistle to Timothy →
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