This section begins with Timothy being urged to Command and teach these things. Command is the same word translated “charge” in 1.3. For teach see comments on “an apt teacher” in 3.2. Both of these are present imperatives, which indicates a continuing obligation to discharge these functions. The expression these things is used for the first time in this letter in 3.14 (translated there as “these instructions”). Once again it is difficult to be certain as to what these things refers to. It may refer to the contents of the letter up to 4.10, or to 4.1-10, or to 4.6-10, or to 4.8-10, or even only to 4.10, which is about the Saviorhood of God. Translations of course generally keep the ambiguity. However, in a translation with readers helps, it may be useful for the various possibilities to be included in the notes.

One other problem is the position of this verse in the translation. Does it begin a new paragraph (as in Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others), or does it end the preceding paragraph (as in Jerusalem Bible, Phillips, and others)? One advantage of including it with the previous paragraph is that it marks the verse more clearly as referring backward; a disadvantage, however, is that this limits the antecedent of these things to the immediately preceding verses. A disadvantage of putting it at the beginning of the new paragraph is that the verse may be understood as referring forward to the following verses; it has, however, the advantage of not limiting the antecedent of these things to the immediately preceding section. Another way of translating this is “Teach these things and tell everyone to do what you say” (Contemporary English Version).

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .