6:14a

Keep this commandment: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as commandment is a general word that refers to any sort of commandment or order. Scholars suggest many different things to which Paul might have been referring. Three of the suggestions are:

(1) Paul was referring to everything that God expected Timothy to do as a believer and as a minister of the gospel. For example, the New Living Translation (2004 Revision) says:

obey his [God’s] commands

(New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Century Version)

(2) Paul was referring to everything that he had commanded Timothy to do in this letter.

(3) Paul was referring to what he had commanded Timothy to do immediately before this, in 6:11–12. Translations that supply the word this and use a singular “command” are probably following this interpretation.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), King James Version, God’s Word)

Some English versions are ambiguous. The same Greek phrase occurs in a similar context in 2 Peter 2:21 and 3:2. Also Paul did not use a word meaning this. Therefore, interpretation (1) is probably correct, and it is recommended that you follow it.

6:14b

without stain: This is a figure of speech. If something has a stain, on it, it is not perfect. So when Paul said that Timothy should obey God’s commands without stain, he meant that Timothy should obey them perfectly.

or reproach: If Timothy obeyed God’s commands without…reproach, no one would be able to accuse or blame him for the way he behaved.

In some languages it may not be possible to translate these two terms separately or to keep the figure of speech. Some other ways to translate this verse part are:

completely and fully (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
without fault or failure (NET Bible)

6:14c

until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ: Paul was telling Timothy to keep obeying God’s commands until Jesus returned.

our: This again refers to Paul, Timothy, and the Ephesian believers.

Lord: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lord is a general word that means “master.” It was used to address any respected person. Here it refers to Christ. You could translate it as “owner” or “chief.”

Jesus Christ: Notice that in this verse Paul used the more usual order Jesus Christ to refer to Jesus. It is recommended that you do the same thing.

Christ: The word Christ is used two ways in the New Testament. In the Gospels, Christ is a title for Jesus. It means “the anointed one.” But later, by the time that Paul and others wrote letters to individuals and churches, the word Christ was used as another name for Jesus. It was no longer used as a title. So here and in other New Testament letters you should spell Christ according to the rules of your language.

6:15a–16b

In these verse parts Paul began to praise God. As in 1:17a–d, consider formatting this section of praise as poetry. One example of this format is to put one verse part on each line and indent the text.

© 2003 by SIL International®

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.