1 Timothy · 20 verses
1 Timothy 1
Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.
The chapter
What happens here
Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.
Paul ends by saying that Hymenaeus and Alexander have been handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. The chapter offers no timetable, syllabus, or account of how the lesson is to proceed, leaving the most dramatic punishment in the letter with its peculiar purpose attached.
A commission at Ephesusvv. 1–11
Paul opens as an apostle by command, addressing Timothy as his true child in the faith. Timothy is to remain at Ephesus while certain men are stopped from teaching false doctrines and from giving themselves to myths and endless genealogies—an impressive amount of foliage for a warning against empty talk. The desired end is love from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and sincere faith. The law is called good when used legitimately, though its catalogue of customers runs from the lawless and rebellious through killers, murderers, liars, and perjurers to “anyone else” opposed to sound teaching.
Paul, the extreme examplevv. 12–17
Paul turns from instruction to his own appointment. He was formerly a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent man, but mercy found him in ignorance and unbelief. He then calls himself the worst of sinners, and precisely there places the display of Christ Jesus’ perfect patience: the worst case becomes the example for those who would believe. The passage closes in a burst of titles for the invisible and immortal King eternal.
The good fight and the strange lessonvv. 18–20
Paul entrusts Timothy with a command, linking it to previous prophecies about him and to the good fight. Faith and a good conscience are to be held on to; some have rejected the latter and shipwrecked their faith, a nautical image arriving without a sea. Hymenaeus and Alexander are named among them. Paul says he has handed them over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme, and the chapter stops there, with the lesson announced but not described.
The text
Read it
Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.
1 Tim 1:1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
1 Tim 1:2To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Tim 1:3As I urged you on my departure to Macedonia, you should stay on at Ephesus to instruct certain men not to teach false doctrines
1 Tim 1:4or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.
1 Tim 1:5The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
1 Tim 1:6Some have strayed from these ways and turned aside to empty talk.
1 Tim 1:7They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or that which they so confidently assert.
1 Tim 1:8Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately.
1 Tim 1:9We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers,
1 Tim 1:10for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching
1 Tim 1:11that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.
1 Tim 1:12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service.
1 Tim 1:13I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
1 Tim 1:14And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
1 Tim 1:15This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
1 Tim 1:16But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
1 Tim 1:17Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
1 Tim 1:18Timothy, my child, I entrust you with this command in keeping with the previous prophecies about you, so that by them you may fight the good fight,
1 Tim 1:19holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith.
1 Tim 1:20Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
01 — Also here
Who else the chapter reaches
Names written in the English are linked in the text above. These are the ones that are not: an entity the Hebrew or Greek names under a spelling the translation does not use, or one reached only by an assertion about a verse of this chapter.
Reached by an assertion Atlas extracted from a verse of this chapter rather than by a name written in it — a pronoun, a title, or a participant the sentence carries without naming. This layer is model-read and measured at 88.6–90.3% precision, and it is kept separate from the names above for that reason.
02 — Read alongside
Where this is echoed
Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 481 passages were voted onto 20 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.
- 15Mark 2:17On hearing this, Jesus told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
- 15Luke 19:10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
- 15John 3:16–17For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- 15John 12:47As for anyone who hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
- 17Ephesians 3:20–21Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
- 41 Timothy 4:7But reject irreverent, silly myths. Instead, train yourself for godliness.
- 4Titus 1:14and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who have rejected the truth.
- 4Titus 3:9But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law, because these things are pointless and worthless.
- 51 Timothy 1:19holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith.
- 17Jude 1:25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.
- 5Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- 12Philippians 4:13I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- 2Titus 1:4To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
- 52 Timothy 2:22Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
- 5Galatians 5:13–14For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
- 9Galatians 3:19Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator.
Onward