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Warnings against False Teachings

When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations,[a] which don’t help people live a life of faith in God.[b]

The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:4a Greek in myths and endless genealogies, which cause speculation.
  2. 1:4b Greek a stewardship of God in faith.

Timothy’s Task in Ephesus

As I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus to instruct[a] certain people not to spread false teachings,[b] nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies.[c] Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan[d] that operates by faith. But the aim of our instruction[e] is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.[f] Some have strayed from these and turned away to empty discussion. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or the things they insist on so confidently.[g]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 1:3 tn This word implies authoritative instruction: “direct, command, give orders” (cf. 1 Tim 4:11; 5:7; 6:13, 17). See BDAG 760 s.v. παραγγέλλω.
  2. 1 Timothy 1:3 tn Grk “to teach other doctrines,” different from apostolic teaching (cf. 1 Tim 6:3).
  3. 1 Timothy 1:4 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).
  4. 1 Timothy 1:4 tc A few Western mss (D* latt Ir) read οἰκοδομήν (oikodomēn, “[God’s] edification”) rather than οἰκονομίαν (oikonomian, “[God’s] redemptive plan”), which is read by the earliest and best witnesses.tn More literally, “the administration of God that is by faith.”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. 1 Timothy 1:5 tn Grk “the instruction,” referring to orthodox Christian teaching and ministry in general, in contrast to that of the false teachers mentioned in 1:3-4.
  6. 1 Timothy 1:5 tn Grk “love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
  7. 1 Timothy 1:7 tn The Greek reinforces this negation: “understand neither what they are saying nor the things they insist on…”