The First Epistle to Timothy — Interlinear: Themes, Outlines & Translation Notes

A consolidated companion to the 1 Timothy data set: every chapter of 1 Timothy (1–6) rendered as a six-tier Greek reverse-interlinear (Greek · gloss · parsing/case · syntax · semantic force · lexical note), with per-verse discourse analysis and a chapter argument-outline.

This document gathers the theme, the argument outline (the outline movements authored into each data file), and the translation / textual / exegetical notes (the text_note of each file, reproduced verbatim) for all six chapters — followed by a summary of the major translation and interpretive cruxes that were deliberately annotated rather than silently resolved. It is part of the same project as the other Pauline volumes.

Scope

Each annotated word carries Greek, a working gloss, color-coded grammatical case, parsing (Tense·Voice·Mood·Person·Number + lemma), a Wallace-style syntactic-function label, an aspectual semantic-force label (verbal forms), and a condensed lexical note. The Greek follows the standard critical text (uniform across NA28 / SBLGNT / THGNT in its main wording, and itself an ancient public-domain text); the copyrighted NA28 apparatus is not reproduced.

The argument of the book

The macro-structure of the whole book — its major movements — under which the chapter-by-chapter detail below unfolds. (Section divisions are interpretive; the more common analysis is generally followed.)

• I · 1:1–20 — Charge against false teaching. Salutation, the charge to silence those teaching myths and misusing the law, the lawful use of the law, and the testimony of grace to Paul the foremost sinner, with a renewed charge to Timothy.
• II · 2:1–3:16 — Order in God's household. Prayer for all and the one mediator (2:1–7); the conduct of men and women in worship (2:8–15); the qualifications for overseers and deacons (3:1–13); and the purpose of writing — conduct in God's household — capped by the mystery-of-godliness hymn (3:14–16).
• III · 4:1–6:2 — Timothy's ministry amid error. The predicted apostasy and false asceticism answered by the goodness of creation (4:1–5); the good minister trained for godliness and setting an example (4:6–16); and the right treatment of age-groups, widows, elders, and slaves (5:1–6:2).
• IV · 6:3–21 — Final charges. Against the conceited false teachers and the love of money; the man-of-God's pursuit and the good confession; the charge to the rich; and the closing appeal to guard the deposit.

Chapter-by-chapter

1 Timothy 1 — ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟΝ Α′ Α′

Theme. The charge to silence false teachers; the lawful use of the law; and grace to Paul, the foremost of sinners. Outline.

• A · 1:1–2 — Salutation. Sender and his apostolic standing 'by command of God' (1) → addressee Timothy as true child in the faith, with the threefold greeting of grace, mercy, and peace (2).
• B · 1:3–7 — The charge against false teachers. The reason Timothy was left in Ephesus: to stop those teaching a different doctrine and occupied with myths and genealogies (3–4) → the goal of the charge is love from a pure heart (5) → some have swerved into empty talk, wanting to be teachers of law they do not understand (6–7).
• C · 1:8–11 — The lawful use of the law. The law is good if used lawfully (8) → it is laid down not for the righteous but for the lawless, whose sins are catalogued (9–10) → all measured against the sound teaching of the glorious gospel entrusted to Paul (10b–11).
• D · 1:12–17 — Grace to Paul, the foremost sinner. Thanksgiving that Christ judged Paul faithful and appointed him to service (12) → though formerly a blasphemer and persecutor, he received mercy and overflowing grace (13–14) → the trustworthy saying: Christ came to save sinners, of whom Paul is foremost, a pattern of patience (15–16) → doxology to the eternal King (17).
• E · 1:18–20 — The charge renewed and the shipwreck of two. Paul entrusts the charge to Timothy in line with prophecies, to wage the good warfare (18) holding faith and a good conscience (19a) → which some rejected and made shipwreck of their faith — Hymenaeus and Alexander, handed over to Satan to be disciplined (19b–20).

Translation & textual notes. The Greek follows the standard critical text of 1 Timothy 1, uniform in its main wording across the modern editions (NA28, SBLGNT, THGNT) and itself an ancient, public-domain text; NA28's distinctively copyrighted critical apparatus is not reproduced. Verse punctuation, paragraphing, and capitalization are editorial and conventional. Where editions differ trivially in orthography or accent these are not noted. The chapter has the traditional twenty verses with no critically disputed omission.

1 Timothy 2 — ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟΝ Α′ Β′

Theme. Prayer for all people; the one God and one mediator; and the conduct of men and women in worship. Outline.

• A · 2:1–2 — The call to prayer for all people. An inferential exhortation (οὖν) resuming the charge of ch. 1: prayer of every kind is to be made first of all for all people (1), and specifically for kings and those in authority, with the aim of a tranquil, godly common life (2).
• B · 2:3–4 — Ground: God wills all to be saved. Such universal prayer is right because it pleases God our Savior (3), who wills all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (4) — the saving will that matches the scope of the praying.
• C · 2:5–7 — The one God and the one mediator. A confessional ground (γάρ): one God and one mediator, the man Christ Jesus (5), who gave himself a ransom for all (6) — the testimony to which Paul was appointed herald, apostle, and teacher of the nations (7).
• D · 2:8 — Instruction for the men: holy, peaceable prayer. Drawing the inference (οὖν) for conduct in worship: Paul wills the men everywhere to pray, lifting holy hands, without anger or disputing.
• E · 2:9–10 — Instruction for the women: adornment of good works. Likewise (ὡσαύτως) the women are to adorn themselves with modesty and self-control, not with elaborate ostentation (9), but with good works as befits women professing godliness (10).
• F · 2:11–12 — Learning in quietness; the limit on teaching. A woman is to learn quietly in all submission (11); Paul does not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness (12).
• G · 2:13–15 — Grounds from creation and fall; the promise. Reasons drawn from Genesis (γάρ): Adam formed first, then Eve (13); Adam not deceived, but the woman deceived came into transgression (14); yet she will be saved through childbearing, if they remain in faith, love, and holiness with self-control (15).

Translation & textual notes. The Greek follows the standard critical text of 1 Timothy 2, uniform in its main wording across the modern editions (NA28, SBLGNT, THGNT) and itself an ancient, public-domain text; NA28's distinctively copyrighted critical apparatus is not reproduced. Verse punctuation, paragraphing, and capitalization are editorial and conventional. A few places carry interpretive or text-critical weight: at v.7 the asseveration ἀλήθειαν λέγω, οὐ ψεύδομαι is printed without the added ἐν Χριστῷ of the Byzantine tradition; at v.7 the noun is read διδάσκαλος (some witnesses διδάσκαλος καὶ); the hapax αὐθεντεῖν (v.12) and the much-debated singular διὰ τῆς τεκνογονίας with plural μείνωσιν (v.15) are printed as the editions give them, the exegetical questions noted in the cards rather than resolved by emendation. The chapter has 15 verses; none is legitimately omitted by the critical text.

1 Timothy 3 — ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟΝ Α′ Γ′

Theme. Qualifications for overseers and deacons; the church as God's household; the mystery-of-godliness hymn. Outline.

• A · 3:1 — A trustworthy saying: aspiring to oversight. A faithful-saying formula commends the desire for the office of overseer as aspiration to a noble work — introducing the qualifications that follow.
• B · 3:2–7 — Qualifications for the overseer. The overseer must be above reproach (2a); the catalogue then unfolds his character, household management, and reputation (2b–5), warns against the recent convert lest pride condemn him (6), and requires a good standing with outsiders (7).
• C · 3:8–10 — Qualifications for deacons. Deacons likewise must be dignified, sincere, temperate, and free from greed (8), holding the faith's mystery with a clear conscience (9), and first tested, then serving if blameless (10).
• D · 3:11 — The women. A parallel requirement for the women (deacons' wives or women who serve): dignified, no slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
• E · 3:12–13 — Deacons: household and reward. Deacons too are one-woman men managing children and household well (12); those who serve well gain a good standing and great boldness in the faith (13).
• F · 3:14–15 — Purpose of writing: conduct in God's household. Paul writes, hoping to come soon yet providing for delay, so they may know how to conduct themselves in God's household, the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.
• G · 3:16 — The mystery of godliness: a Christ-hymn. Confessedly great is the mystery of godliness, set out in six balanced lines: manifested in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among nations, believed in the world, taken up in glory.

Translation & textual notes. The Greek follows the standard critical text of 1 Timothy 3, uniform in its main wording across the modern editions (NA28, SBLGNT, THGNT) and itself an ancient, public-domain text; NA28's distinctively copyrighted critical apparatus is not reproduced. Verse punctuation is editorial and conventional. The chapter has sixteen verses; none is omitted by the critical text. At v.16 the earliest and best-attested reading is the relative ὃς ἐφανερώθη ('who was manifested'), not the later θεός ἐφανερώθη ('God was manifested') of the Byzantine tradition and the Textus Receptus; the relative reading is followed here, the masculine ὅς agreeing ad sensum with Christ rather than with the neuter μυστήριον.

1 Timothy 4 — ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟΝ Α′ Δ′

Theme. The coming apostasy and false asceticism; everything God made is good; train yourself for godliness. Outline.

• A · 4:1–5 — The coming apostasy and its false asceticism. The Spirit expressly foretells a latter-day departure from the faith (1) through hypocritical liars whose seared conscience forbids marriage and foods (2–3a) — refuted by the doctrine of creation: everything God made is good and is received with thanksgiving (3b–4), consecrated by the word of God and prayer (5).
• B · 4:6–10 — The good minister nourished on the faith. Setting these things before the brethren makes Timothy a good servant of Christ, nourished on the words of faith (6); shun profane myths and rather train yourself for godliness (7), which holds promise for this life and the next (8) — a trustworthy saying (9) — for which we toil, having set our hope on the living God, Savior of all (10).
• C · 4:11–16 — Command, set an example, attend to your gift. Command and teach these things (11); let no one despise your youth, but be a pattern in word and life (12); devote yourself to reading, exhortation, teaching (13); do not neglect the gift given by prophecy and the laying on of hands (14); be absorbed in these things so your progress is plain (15); watch yourself and the teaching — persevere, for in doing so you will save both yourself and your hearers (16).

Translation & textual notes. The Greek follows the standard critical text of 1 Timothy 4, uniform in its main wording across the modern editions (NA28, SBLGNT, THGNT) and itself an ancient, public-domain text; NA28's distinctively copyrighted critical apparatus is not reproduced. Verse punctuation and paragraphing are editorial and conventional. The chapter comprises sixteen verses; no verse is omitted by the critical text.

1 Timothy 5 — ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟΝ Α′ Ε′

Theme. Honoring widows, elders, and the household of faith; due process and discernment. Outline.

• A · 5:1–2 — Treating the congregation as a family. A governing principle for Timothy's pastoral manner: do not sharply rebuke an older man, but exhort the whole church as kin — older men as fathers, younger as brothers, older women as mothers, younger as sisters, in all purity.
• B · 5:3–8 — Honoring true widows and the household's duty. Honor the widows who are truly widows (3); but a widow with family is to be supported by them, for that piety repays parents and pleases God (4); the genuinely desolate widow hopes in God and prays night and day, while the self-indulgent one is dead while living (5–6); these things Timothy must charge (7), for whoever fails to provide for his own has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (8).
• C · 5:9–10 — The enrollment of widows. The order of recognized widows: enroll one not under sixty, the wife of one husband (9), well attested in good works — child-rearing, hospitality, washing the saints' feet, relieving the afflicted, devoted to every good work (10).
• D · 5:11–15 — Younger widows: refuse the roll, let them marry. Refuse younger widows from the roll, for their passions turn them from Christ to marriage, incurring guilt for breaking their first pledge (11–12); idle, they become gossips and busybodies (13). So Paul wills that younger widows marry, bear children, manage the home, and give the adversary no occasion to revile (14); for some have already turned aside after Satan (15).
• E · 5:16 — Relieving the church of needless burden. A practical directive: a believing woman with widows in her family should relieve them herself, so the church is not burdened and may help those who are truly widows.
• F · 5:17–20 — Elders: double honor, due process, and public rebuke. Let elders who lead well, especially those laboring in word and teaching, be counted worthy of double honor (17), for Scripture supports paying the laborer (18); receive no accusation against an elder except on two or three witnesses (19); those who persist in sin rebuke before all, that the rest may fear (20).
• G · 5:21–25 — Solemn charge: impartiality, caution, and discernment. A charge before God, Christ, and the elect angels to keep these things without prejudice or partiality (21); do not be hasty in laying on hands or share in others' sins; keep yourself pure (22); a personal aside — take a little wine for the stomach (23); for some sins are evident beforehand and some follow after, just as good works are evident and the rest cannot stay hidden (24–25).

Translation & textual notes. The Greek follows the standard critical text of 1 Timothy 5, uniform in its main wording across the modern editions (NA28, SBLGNT, THGNT) and itself an ancient, public-domain text; NA28's distinctively copyrighted critical apparatus is not reproduced. Verse and clause punctuation is editorial and conventional. Where editions diverge in minor wording (e.g. the article before Χριστοῦ at v.11, or πρόσκλισιν/πρόσκλησιν at v.21), the main reading is printed without notation; well-known variants such as the doxological addition are not reproduced. No verse of the critical text is omitted; all 25 verses are present.

1 Timothy 6 — ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟΝ Α′ Ϛ′

Theme. Contentment over the love of money; the good fight of faith; the charge to the rich; guard the deposit. Outline.

• A · 6:1–2 — Slaves and masters: the honor of submission. Believing slaves are to count their masters worthy of all honor, lest God's name and the teaching be blasphemed (1); those with believing masters must not despise them but serve the better, since their benefactors are beloved (2).
• B · 6:3–5 — False teachers exposed: a diseased craving. Anyone who teaches otherwise and refuses sound words is conceited, knowing nothing (3–4a), morbidly obsessed with controversies that breed envy and strife (4b), the depraved spawn of those who suppose godliness is a means of gain (5).
• C · 6:6–10 — Godliness with contentment; the love of money. True gain is godliness with contentment (6), for we brought and take nothing (7); food and covering suffice (8). But the will to be rich plunges into ruin (9), for the love of money is a root of all evils, piercing some through with sorrows (10).
• D · 6:11–16 — The man of God's charge: fight the good fight. Timothy must flee these things and pursue righteousness (11), fight faith's good fight and lay hold of eternal life (12); charged before God and Christ to keep the commandment spotless until the appearing (13–14) — which the blessed Sovereign will display in his time, to whom be honor (15–16).
• E · 6:17–19 — A charge to the rich in this age. The present-age rich are to be neither haughty nor hopeful in uncertain riches but in God (17), to be rich in good works and generous (18), storing up a good foundation for the future, that they may lay hold of the real life (19).
• F · 6:20–21 — Guard the deposit: closing charge. A final personal appeal: guard the deposit, avoiding the godless babble and antitheses of falsely-named knowledge (20), which some professing have missed the mark concerning the faith (21a); grace be with you (21b).

Translation & textual notes. The Greek follows the standard critical text of 1 Timothy 6, uniform in its main wording across the modern editions (NA28, SBLGNT, THGNT) and itself an ancient, public-domain text; NA28's distinctively copyrighted critical apparatus is not reproduced. Verse punctuation and paragraphing are editorial and conventional. The chapter has its conventional twenty-one verses; no verse is omitted by the critical text. Minor orthographic and word-order variants (e.g. the article before πλούτου in v.17, the εὐσεβείας doxology shape in v.3) are not noted.

Major translation & exegetical cruxes

Where the Greek legitimately admits more than one rendering or reading, the point was flagged in the lexical notes and chapter text_notes rather than decided silently; the more common analysis was generally taken and the alternative noted. The principal cruxes in 1 Timothy:

Other recurring features noted in the lexical tier include the five 'faithful sayings' formula (πιστὸς ὁ λόγος, here at 1:15; 3:1), the εὐσέβεια ('godliness') word-group that pervades the Pastorals, the 'sound teaching' (ὑγιαίνουσα διδασκαλία) vocabulary, and the qualification-list style of ch. 3.

How the data set is organized

• romans-interlinear/data/1timothy{1..6}.json — the durable scholarly content, sharing the romans-interlinear toolkit and schema with the other volumes.
• romans-interlinear/ — a chapter-agnostic renderer (stdlib-only HTML; headless-Chromium PDF). Adding a chapter (or a book) requires no code changes.
• Rendered artifacts — 1Timothy{1..6}.html and .pdf under staticsite/1Timothy/, linked from its index.html.

The interpretive tiers (syntactic function, semantic force, discourse structure, and the proposed argument outlines) are interpretive by nature; where readings legitimately differ, the more common analysis was generally chosen, and the lexical notes are condensed orientation rather than a substitute for a lexicon (e.g. BDAG) or a full commentary.