1 Timotius 1:4

1:4 nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. ¹  Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan ²  that operates by faith.

1 Timotius 5:8

5:8 But if someone does not provide for his own, ³  especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

1 Timotius 5:21

5:21 Before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, I solemnly charge you to carry out these commands without prejudice or favoritism of any kind. ⁴ 

1 Timotius 6:2

6:2 But those who have believing masters must not show them less respect ⁵  because they are brothers. Instead they are to serve all the more, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved. ⁶ 

Summary of Timothy’s Duties

Teach them and exhort them about these things. ⁷ 

[1:4]  ¹ sn Myths and interminable genealogies. These myths were legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 4:7; 2 Tim 4:4; and Titus 1:14. They were perhaps built by speculation from the patriarchal narratives in the OT; hence the connection with genealogies and with wanting to be teachers of the law (v. 7).

[1:4]  ² tc A few Western mss (D* latt Ir) read οἰκοδομήν (oikodomhn, “[God’s] edification”) rather than οἰκονομίαν (oikonomian, “[God’s] redemptive plan”), which is read by the earliest and best witnesses.

[1:4]  tn More literally, “the administration of God that is by faith.”

[1:4]  sn God’s redemptive plan. The basic word (οἰκονομία, oikonomia) denotes the work of a household steward or manager or the arrangement under which he works: “household management.” As a theological term it is used of the order or arrangement by which God brings redemption through Christ (God’s “dispensation, plan of salvation” [Eph 1:10; 3:9]) or of human responsibility to pass on the message of that salvation (“stewardship, commission” [1 Cor 9:17; Eph 3:2; Col 1:25]). Here the former is in view (see the summary of God’s plan in 1 Tim 2:3-6; 2 Tim 1:9-10; Titus 3:4-7), and Paul notes the response people must make to God’s arrangement: It is “in faith” or “by faith.”

[5:8]  ³ tn That is, “his own relatives.”

[5:21]  ⁴ tn Grk “doing nothing according to partiality.”

[6:2]  ⁵ tn Or “think the less of them”; Grk “despise them,” “look down on them.”

[6:2]  ⁶ tn Or “those who devote themselves to service are faithful and dearly loved” (referring to slaves who serve them).

[6:2]  ⁷ tn Grk “these things teach and exhort.”