▼ Traditionally, “servants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

▼ Grk “that the name…may not be slandered” (a continuation of the preceding sentence).

▼ Grk “the teaching.”

▼ Or “slandered.”

▼ Or “think the less of them”; Grk “despise them,” “look down on them.”

▼ Or “those who devote themselves to service are faithful and dearly loved” (referring to slaves who serve them).

▼ Grk “these things teach and exhort.”

▼ Grk “teaches other doctrines,” (different from apostolic teaching, cf. 1 Tim 1:3).

▼ Although most witnesses, including some early versions and fathers (D² Ψ Maj. sy Cyp Lcf Ambst), have ἀφίστασο ἀπὸ τῶν τοιούτων (afistaso apo’ tōn toioutōn, “stay away from such things!”) after εὐσεβείαν (eusebeian, “godliness”; thus, “who suppose that godliness is a way of making a profit; stay away from such things!”), there seems to be little good reason for this clause’s omission in some of the oldest and best witnesses (א A D* F G 048 6 33 81 1175 1739 1881 lat co). It is likely that it crept into the text early, perhaps as a marginal comment, but it should not be considered authentic in light of the strong external evidence against it.

▼ The Greek conjunction ὅτι usually means “because,” but here it takes the sense “so that” (see BDAG 732 s.v. 5.c). This unusual sense led to textual variation as scribes attempted to correct what appeared to be an error: D* and a few versional witnesses read ἀληθές ὅτι (“it is true that”), and א² D² Ψ Maj. read δῆλον ὅτι (“it is clear that”). Thus the simple conjunction is preferred on internal as well as external grounds, supported by א* A F G 33 81 1739 1881 pc.

▼ Grk “with these.”

▼ This could be taken to mean “a root,” but the phrase “of all evils” clearly makes it definite. This seems to be not entirely true to life (some evils are unrelated to love of money), but it should be read as a case of hyperbole (exaggeration to make a point more strongly).

▼ Many translations render this “of all kinds of evil,” especially to allow for the translation “a root” along with it. But there is no parallel for taking a construction like this to mean “all kinds of” or “every kind of.” The normal sense is “all evils.”

▼ Grk “O man of God.”

▼ Grk “flee these things.”

▼ This phrase literally means “compete in the good competition of the faith,” using words that may refer to a race or to a boxing or wrestling match: “run the good race” or “fight the good fight.” The similar phrase in 1 Tim 1:18 uses a military picture and is more literally “war the good warfare.”

▼ At some point in Timothy’s life, he publicly acknowledged Jesus as the resurrected Lord, perhaps either at his baptism or his ordination as a minister of the gospel. With this reminder of the historical moment of his good confession, Timothy is encouraged to remain steadfast in his faith and to finish his life as a minister in the same way it began (see G. W. Knight, Pastoral Epistles [NIGTC], 264–65).

▼ Grk “confessed the good confession.”

▼ ‡ Most witnesses, some of them important (א² A D H 1881 Maj. lat sy bo), have σοι (soi, “you”) after παραγγέλλω (parangellō, “I charge [you]”), a predictable variant because the personal pronoun is demanded by the sense of the passage (and was added in the translation because of English requirements). Hence, the omission is the harder reading, and the addition of σοι is one of clarification. Further, the shorter reading is found in several important witnesses, such as א* F G Ψ 6 33 1739 pc. Thus, both internally and externally the shorter reading is preferred. NA ²⁷ places σοι in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.

▼ Grk “I charge.”

▼ Grk “testified the good confession.”

▼ Jesus’ good confession was his affirmative answer to Pilate’s question “Are you the king of the Jews?” (see Matt 27:11, Mark 15:2, Luke 23:3, John 18:33–37).

▼ The Greek word τηρέω (tēreō, traditionally translated “keep”) in this context connotes preservation of and devotion to an object as well as obedience.

▼ Grk “the command.”

▼ The command refers to the duties laid upon Timothy for his ministry in Ephesus (1 Tim 1:3–20; 6:2c–5).

▼ Grk “which.” All of 1 Tim 6:15 is a relative clause which refers back to “appearing” in v.14. The phrase “whose appearing” was supplied to clarify this connection.

▼ Grk “in the present age.”

▼ Grk “in uncertainty.”

▼ Grk “to do good” (the continuation of 6:17). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 18.

▼ Grk “to be generous,” “sharing.”

▼ Grk “saving up” (the continuation of 6:18). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 19.

▼ Grk “treasuring up a good foundation.”

▼ Grk “that they may lay hold of.”

▼ Grk “avoiding.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

▼ Or “contradictions.”

▼ Grk “the falsely named knowledge.”

▼ Grk “have deviated concerning the faith.”

▼ Most witnesses (א² D¹ Ψ Maj. sy) conclude this letter with ἀμήν (amēn, “amen”). Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending (cf. Rom 16:27; Gal 6:18; Jude 25). A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding ἀμήν in every NT book except Acts, James, and 3 John (and even in these books, ἀμήν is found in some witnesses). It is thus a predictable variant. Further, the earliest and best witnesses (א* A D* F G 33 81 1739* 1881 it sa) lack the particle, indicating that the letter concluded with “Grace be with you all.”

▼ Grk “with you” (but the Greek pronoun indicates the meaning is plural here).