Bible Verse Lookup
1 Tim 2,4
Chapter 2
On Prayer
Firstly, I ask that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone,
including rulers of states and all in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in godliness and respect.
This is good and pleases God our savior,
who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, who is human himself,
and who gave his life to redeem everyone. This is the testimony, given at the right time,
and God has appointed me as an apostle and messenger of this message. I am telling the truth and not lying: He made me teacher of the Gentiles in matters of faith and truth.
On the Behavior of Men and Women
I want the men everywhere to lift pure hands in prayer to heaven, without anger or disagreement.
Let women dress simply and modestly, not with fancy hairstyles, gold, jewelry, and expensive clothes,
but with good deeds, as is appropriate for women serving God.
Let a woman quietly receive instruction and remain submissive.
Do not permit any woman to teach or have authority over men. Let them remain silent.
For Adam was created first, and then Eve.
Adam was not deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and fell into sin.
But she will be saved through motherhood, provided women persevere in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.
Chapter 4
Timothy’s Duties As Pastor of the Community
The Spirit clearly tells us that in the last days some will abandon the faith and follow deceitful spirits and harmful doctrines,
led by lying hypocrites whose consciences have been branded with infamy.
They forbid marriage and restrict the use of certain foods, which God created for those who know the truth, and which believers receive with thanksgiving.
Everything created by God is good, and all food is lawful; nothing should be rejected if received with thanksgiving,
for it is sanctified by the invocation of God in prayer.
If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, you will demonstrate that you are a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the teachings of faith and sound doctrine that you have followed.
Personal Conduct of a Minister of God
Reject irreligious fables and old wives’ tales. Train yourself in godliness.
Physical training has limited value; godliness, however, is beneficial in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
Here, you have a trustworthy doctrine you can rely on.
We work hard and endure because we trust in the living God, the Savior of all, especially of those who believe.
Command and teach these things.
Let no one look down on you because of your youth. Be an example to the believers in your speech and conduct, in your love, your faith, and your purity.
Devote yourself to reading, preaching, and teaching until I arrive.
Do not neglect the spiritual gift given to you through the prophetic word when the elders laid their hands on you.
Put these things into practice, so that everyone can see your progress.
Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching. Be steady in doing this, and you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.
Commentaries
On Prayer.
Another concern of the pastoral letters is to establish specific rules for the organization and proper functioning of communities. Among the community’s duties, prayer takes the lead. It is interesting to learn, from the letter’s author’s advice, how much, how, and for whom those Christians prayed. The first thing that stands out is the spontaneity and charismatic intensity of their prayer: “petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings” (1). Second, its missionary and universal character: “for all people” (1), so that “all men may be saved and come to know the truth” (4), for this saving will of God embraces everyone, pagans and Christians alike, in the one mediator of salvation, “Christ Jesus, who is also a man” (5).
On the Behavior of Men and Women.
The author of the letter initially focuses on prayer assemblies; later, it broadens to more general topics. The notable level of equality between men and women that once existed in the liturgical gatherings of the churches founded by Paul did not last long, unfortunately.
Timothy’s Duties As Pastor of the Community.
These duties stand in stark contrast to the actions of false teachers, who are described with terms like criminals or runaway slaves. The early communities’ strong awareness that they were living in the end times leads the author to see these individuals as the promoters of the apostasy that must occur before the Lord’s final coming (cf. 2 Thes 2:3). He concludes by affirming that a “good minister of Christ Jesus is nourished by the message of faith and sound doctrine” (6), and thus teaches and witnesses to it through his life. The best way to describe the ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons today is precisely this: to be “servants of the Word of God.”
Personal Conduct of a Minister of God.
As in previous exhortations, the author continues to speak to Timothy personally, aiming to describe the ideal leader of the local churches. This figure applies to anyone who exercises authority in ministry and must be: “a model for believers in word, conduct, love, faith, and purity” (12). Similar to Paul in his letter to the Ephesians (cf. Eph 4:11), the author, addressing Timothy, does not focus on the gift he has but instead urges him to become that living example for his brothers and sisters in faith. This warning is so important that the salvation of the leader depends on that of his followers: by doing all this, “both you and your listeners will be saved” (16).