Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 6:17

The rich in this world are the members of the Christian community who are wealthy. In this world can be interpreted to refer either to physical existence as contrasted to spiritual existence, hence Good News Translation “rich in the things of this life,” or to the present age contrasted to the coming one, hence New Revised Standard Version “who in the present age are rich.”

The word for charge is the same word used in 1.3 and 4.11 (“command”). In this context it carries the meaning of “warn” or “strongly urge.” Haughty is literally “to think of exalted things” but with the meaning “to be arrogant,” that is, to act in such a way as to give the impression that one is more important than anyone else. Other ways of rendering haughty are “in their hearts they think they are great,” “they think that they are chiefs,” or figuratively “have rising hearts.”

Set their hopes translates the perfect infinitive of the verb “to hope.” One may also translate this term as “set their heart on” or “trust in.” The expression that follows in Greek is literally “the uncertainty of riches,” and this is the biblical way of saying that riches are uncertain. A more natural translation of the expression is reflected in Good News Translation. Wealth is characterized as uncertain in the sense that it is temporary and is not very dependable in providing for people’s needs. Uncertain riches may also be expressed as “money that will not last” or “abundance of material things that are easily lost (or, will easily disappear).” In contrast to wealth, which is impermanent and undependable, is God, who can always be trusted to provide for all that people need to enjoy life and to live it to the full. There is a play on words here: riches are uncertain, but God richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. To enjoy may be expressed as “to enjoy life,” “to live happily,” or “to have lives full of joy.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• You must warn those people who have lots of things in this life not to think in their hearts that they are great, nor to trust in money (or, the abundance of things), which is easily lost. Instead they should trust in God, who generously (or, wholeheartedly) gives us everything we need to enjoy life.

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 .

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 1:9 – 1:10

Understanding this these verses may be understood as explaining the meaning of verse 8, primarily the proper use of the law. This connection between these verses is made clear in some translations; for example, New Revised Standard Version “This means understanding that….” Or one may say “We understand, of course, that….”

In the Greek, law is without the definite article; it is possible therefore to take law here as referring to any law. However, considering the reference to sound doctrine in verse 10, “the glorious gospel” in verse 11, and the reference to “God’s law” or “the law” (Good News Translation) in verse 8, it seems that law does not include secular laws but is limited to various rules and regulations that are included in the Torah, or the Law of Moses. So it will be possible to translate understanding this, that the law is not laid down for as “We understand, of course, that Moses did not give these laws just for….”

Laid down refers to the enactment and proclamation of the law, and in many languages it will be more natural to use an active expression and say, for example, “Moses gave (or, enacted) these laws,” or if translators understand the law to refer to “laws” in general (compare Good News Translation), then one may translate “These laws are given (or, enacted)” or “They [unknown agents] gave the laws.” The just is literally “the righteous one”; the singular is used here in a generic sense, referring to all those who are “righteous.” As to the meaning of the expression itself, some take it in the generic sense, hence “good” (Good News Translation), “upright people,” “law-abiding people,” or else not violating any law, hence “innocent” (New Revised Standard Version). In this sense it is contrasted with lawless in the next part of the verse. Others, however, take it in its specific Christian sense of referring either to being restored into a right relationship with God (compare Contemporary English Version “people who please God”) or to the result of such a restoration in one’s ethical and moral life, that is, being empowered to live in obedience to the will of God. Either one is possible, depending on how law in the first part of the verse is interpreted. If law is taken as generic, the first alternative will seem more likely. However, if law is interpreted as referring specifically to the law of Moses or to precepts and commandments found in the Scriptures, then the more specific understanding of just will be much more appropriate. Here again, a literal translation will not contain any clue as to what the expression really means. Alternative translation models for the first part of this verse are “We understand, of course, that Moses did not give these Laws just to control people who please God (or, are living in obedience to God)…” or “We also understand that laws are made (or, they [unknown agents] make these laws) not for good people….”

What follows is a catalog of vices, with the clear message that it is for people with such vices that the law is enacted. The function of the law in this case is not primarily to expose these vices but to judge those who do these things. Some things can be said about this catalog. First, this is one of several lists of vices that are found in the New Testament letters. Among the other lists are those found in Rom 1.29-31 and Gal 5.19-21. Some of the lists of vices are followed immediately by a list of virtues, as, for example, Gal 5.22-23. The presence of these lists in the New Testament seems to indicate that these were part of the body of material used in the church’s nurture program. Scholars have noted the absence of the catalog form in rabbinic Judaism, which tends to indicate that here is another instance of Greek influence in New Testament writings.

Secondly, the list is not meant to be exhaustive, but it only includes vices that are considered serious and unusual.

Thirdly, this list has a structure that is unique to itself. It consists first of all of four pairs connected with the conjunction and. These four pairs are followed by six single vices. The list as a whole reflects the order of the Ten Commandments (the Decalogue), although there is no unanimity regarding the details of this relationship. Some aspects of this relationship will be pointed out in this Handbook.

The first three pairs consist of generic terms that describe people in their attitude toward the law, toward God, and toward spiritual matters. The first pair consists of two general terms that describe people in terms of their negative attitude toward the law. Lawless describes people who have no regard for the law and who wouldn’t think twice before breaking it; so “law-breakers” (Good News Translation). Disobedient (Good News Translation “criminals”) translates a word that refers to people who rebel and disobey the law instead of submitting to it. The second pair (ungodly and sinners) are also generic terms describing people in terms of their attitude toward God. Ungodly translates a term that is used of people who are impious, irreverent, and who find no place for God in their lives. Other ways to express ungodly are “people who do not worship God,” “people who have no use for God,” or “people who are not faithful to God.” Sinners on the other hand refers to people who consistently commit acts that are against God and against the law. The third pair likewise are generic terms, but this time they describe people in terms of their attitude toward religious or spiritual matters. The unholy (Good News Translation “those who are not religious”) are the irreligious, the impious, people who have no place for the sacred in their lives. Many languages will not have a set expression for either “religious” or “irreligious.” In such cases they may call unholy or “irreligious” people “those who don’t customarily worship or pray to God.” The profane on the other hand are those who not only regard anything spiritual as irrelevant but who also treat it with contempt and ridicule. In some languages profane will be expressed as “people who speak evil of God” or “people who hate God.” Good News Translation‘s “not … spiritual” is too weak.

There are various possibilities of relating these first three pairs with the first commandments in the Decalogue. One way is to relate the first pair to the commandment “You shall have no other gods,” the second pair to the commandment “You shall not make for yourself a graven image,” and the third pair to the commandments “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” and “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Another possibility is to take the first pair as a general introduction to the catalog, the second pair as related to the first and second commandment cited above, and the third pair as related to the third and fourth commandments cited. A third option is to take all three pairs as related in a general way to all these commandments cited, but without a pattern of one-to-one relationship. But, finally, it is also possible to take these as general descriptions of people in terms of their attitude toward the law and toward God but without any specific relationship to the Decalogue. In the least, it will add to their understanding and appreciation of the passage.

Beginning with the fourth pair, the list moves to specific acts, and here it is much easier to identify parallelisms and relationships with specific parts of the Decalogue, as shown by the following outline:

murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers = “Honor your father and your mother.”
manslayers = “You shall not kill.”
immoral persons and sodomites = “You shall not commit adultery.”
kidnapers = “You shall not steal.”
liars and perjurers = “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
whatever else = “You shall not covet….”

Murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers must refer to children who murder their own parents. This is a much more severe example of the violation of the commandment to honor parents. These terms appear only here in the New Testament. It is tempting to speculate on why such an item is included in the list, since the practice of killing one’s own parents must not have been prevalent at that time. But perhaps this just stresses the importance of faithfully obeying that commandment, and of not mistreating one’s parents in any way.

Manslayers are also murderers, but this time the object is other people and not one’s own parents. Since murdering parents has just been mentioned, it would be much more accurate to translate manslayers as “other murderers.” These are people who deliberately kill others, but not in warfare.

Immoral persons translates a term that can be understood in a general sense as referring to people who do evil things, but more accurately, as describing people who engage in sexual immorality. A specific example of sexual immorality is now given, namely, that of homosexual relationships; the term sodomites refers to male partners in such relationships. Many languages do not have specific vocabulary for such activity. In such cases one may translate sodomites as “men who perform sexual intercourse with other men” or “men who engage in abnormal sexual activity.”

Kidnapers refers generally to those in Biblical times who sold people as slaves (so New Revised Standard Version “slave traders”), and specifically to those who used kidnaping as a way of capturing people for the purpose of selling them into slavery. Liars is a general term for those who do not tell the truth, and perjurers (literally those who swear falsely) refers specifically to those who “give false testimony” (Good News Translation), particularly in court. Whatever else would include other actions (so Good News Translation “who do anything else”) that are not specifically mentioned but are nevertheless violations of the law. Some scholars have identified this last unspecific statement as referring to the commandment not to covet, since it does not receive a specific example in the list, probably because of the difficulty of identifying acts of covetousness. At any rate, this seems to be a convenient way to refer to any violation of the law that is not specifically mentioned in the list.

To be included as a violation, an action must be contrary to sound doctrine. The word for doctrine is used fifteen times in the Pastoral Letters, four times in the other letters, and twice in the Gospels (Matt 15.9 and Mark 7.7). The word itself can refer either to the act of teaching or to the content of what is being taught; this latter meaning seems to fit the context in the present verse and in the Pastoral Letters as a whole. It does seem that, at the time the Pastorals were written, there was a body of Christian teaching (or doctrine) that was the basis for determining the validity and acceptability of certain teachings or beliefs. Sound doctrine aptly describes a body of teaching that is correct, accurate, valid, and which contributes to the well-being and building up of the church. Other ways of expressing this final clause are “who do anything else that is against correct Christian teachings” or “who go against correct Christian teachings in any other way.”

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 .

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 3:14 – 3:15

Literally these two verses can be translated as follows: “I am writing to you these things, hoping to come to you quickly. But if I am delayed, in order that you may know how it is necessary to behave….” As one can see from the above, “hoping to come to you quickly” is a dependent clause, while the main part of the sentence is “I am writing to you these things.” Furthermore, verse 15 is an incomplete sentence in the Greek, since the main clause is left implicit, namely, “I am writing to you these things.” These two verses make several things clear. It is Paul’s intention to visit Timothy as soon as possible. There is a likelihood, however, that Paul’s visit may be delayed due to circumstances that are not mentioned. In case Paul is delayed, the letter will make clear certain things that Timothy ought to know.

As can be seen, Revised Standard Version is far from a literal translation of the Greek text, but it is an acceptable restructuring, although the one long sentence sounds rather cumbersome. The Good News Translation restructuring is much simpler, especially since the one long Greek sentence has been rendered into two shorter ones. However, in certain languages where dependent clauses always precede the main clause, RSV’s model will be a satisfactory one, but translators should in most instances divide this long sentence into two.

I hope to come in certain languages will be rendered “I hope to go.”

These instructions is literally “these things,” which can be taken in a general sense as referring to the whole letter (as in Good News Translation “as I write this letter”), or in a specific sense as referring to the instructions regarding the appointment of church leaders described in this chapter, which is what Revised Standard Version seems to suggest. The first interpretation seems to be the more likely one and is recommended by this Handbook.

If I am delayed can also have the meaning “in case I am delayed”; the Greek construction seems to suggest that it is not very likely that there will be anything to hinder Paul’s forthcoming visit. This clause may also be expressed as “If something delays me” or “But in case I cannot come (or, go) to you as soon as I want to.”

Behave translates a reflexive (middle) form of the verb, hence “to conduct oneself.” This can be interpreted as referring to Christian conduct in general (as, for example, New American Bible “what kind of conduct befits a member of God’s household”). But since the immediate context is the qualifications of church officials, the behavior here is perhaps much better taken in a specific sense as referring to the conduct of church affairs. It should be noted further that behave does not have a subject (literally “how it is necessary to behave”; and note Revised Standard Version‘s impersonal how one ought to behave). It is possible to read Timothy as the subject, “how you should conduct yourself”; it is more likely, however, that the whole congregation is meant; this is perhaps the intent of Good News Translation “we,” which should be taken in an inclusive sense. Other ways of expressing how one ought to behave are “how we [inclusive] should live our lives,” or even figuratively as “how we should walk our lives.”

The community of believers is here described in several ways. First, it is the household of God. Household is literally “house,” but the focus here is not on the building as such but on the people. Household therefore is used here metaphorically, comparing the church to a human family, thus stressing the close relationship between the people within the community, with God as the head. Therefore it is possible to express in the household of God as “as part of God’s family” or “as people who are like members of God’s family.” To make this meaning clear and to prevent any misunderstanding, the metaphor is now explained by the phrase the church of the living God. The expression living God occurs fifteen times in the Old Testament and thirteen times in the New Testament. Initially the expression was used to contrast God with idols that were lifeless but were nonetheless objects of worship. Subsequently the expression was also used to describe God as one who is not only alive but also actively working in the world and among people. In some cases the expression can also refer to God as the source of life, although that seems to be less likely here.

Alternative translation models for you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God are “you may know how we [inclusive] ought to live our lives as members of the family of God, which compose the church of the living God,” “you may know how we [inclusive] should walk our lives….” However, in languages that cannot use a collective term for the church of God, one may translate “You may know … as members of the family of God; this family is composed of all those who believe in Christ and belong to the living God.” In situations where “household” and “family” would be understood literally that God had a wife and children, another expression will need to be used, such as “among the people of God.”

Secondly, the community is the pillar and bulwark of the truth. The use of these terms may have been suggested by the previous metaphor, namely, the word for household, which as noted is literally “house.” Both pillar and bulwark are basic parts of a building, making sure that the building is structurally stable, with bulwark referring to a horizontal support at the bottom (the foundation), and pillar referring to the vertical support in the building, holding up the roof. Of these two terms, bulwark has caused more difficulty, since the Greek word can mean “support,” “foundation,” “firm base.” The question then can be asked: is the church the protector of the truth, or is it the foundation and ground of the truth? These two things are not mutually exclusive, however. Considering the situation of the church during the time of the writing of the Pastoral Letters, it was very important to emphasize the role of the church as the guarantor of the truth in the midst of conflicting claims and erroneous teachings. In many languages it will be helpful to begin a new sentence at the pillar and say, for example, “This church supports the true teachings, just as the foundation and post (or, pillar) support and ensure the stability of a house” or “These believers support the true teachings just as the foundation and post ensure that a house stands firm (or, doesn’t fall down).”

The expression the truth is used five times in 1 Timothy, five times in 2 Timothy, and twice in Titus, to refer to the body of accepted Christian doctrine, the custodian of which is the church. (See further discussion on 2.4.)

Perhaps it should be noted that these two verses also give rise to the question of Timothy’s status within in the congregation. As Paul’s representative he seems to be entrusted with the task of making sure that the affairs of the church are conducted properly. But what office or title would Timothy hold? Is he an overseer (bishop), a deacon, or someone who “oversees” both bishops and deacons? Fortunately translators do not need to have answers to these questions before they are able to translate the text in an accurate and meaningful way.

An alternative translation model for verse 15 is:
• But if something causes me to be slow (or, late) in coming (or, going) to you, what I have written in this letter will let you know how we [inclusive] should live our lives as people who are members of the family of God. This family is composed of all those who believe (in Christ) and belong to the living God. These believers support and keep the true teachings firm just as the foundation and post (or, pillar) support a house and ensure that it stands firmly.

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 .

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 5:17

The first problem tackled with regard to the elders is that of the support they get from the church. This is especially crucial for elders who rule well. The verb for rule is more properly rendered “to guide, to direct, to lead,” and it is the component of leadership that is focused on in many translations (in addition to Good News Translation compare New English Bible “who do well as leaders,” Jerusalem Bible “who do their work well while they are in charge,” Phillips “with a gift of leadership,” Contemporary English Version “who do their job well”).

Such elders should be worthy of double honor. Worthy describes something or someone as deserving of recognition because of merit, value, or worth. Double honor literally translates the Greek, and some translations retain this literal rendition (in addition to Revised Standard Version, see also New Revised Standard Version and New International Version); in the present context it probably refers to, or at least includes, monetary matters (compare the modern term “honorarium”). Many translations in fact make this information explicit; for example, Good News Translation “receiving double pay,” New English Bible “double stipend.” The problem related to this is to determine what “double pay” is related to. Does this mean that they should receive twice as much as they are receiving now, or twice as much as some other leaders are receiving (for example, the widows, or elders who are not engaged in the preaching or teaching ministry)? A third option is to interpret double honor as “twofold honor,” that is, these elders get the “first” honor and respect that go with their office and function, and at the same time get appropriate remuneration as the “second” form of honor (compare Phillips “worthy of respect, and of adequate salary”). This latter model is a good one. Similar ways of expressing double honor, then, are “worthy of receiving respect and adequate pay” or “the Christians should give high respect to them and pay them well.” Alternative translation models for this initial sentence are “Any leader of a group of Christians (or, believers) who does his work well should be considered worthy of receiving proper honor and adequate pay” or “A group of Christians (or, A church) which has a leader who guides them well should consider that leader worthy of receiving proper respect and adequate pay.”

This special consideration should be given especially to those elders who are engaged in the preaching and teaching ministry, which means that there were elders at that time who were involved in things other than preaching or teaching; for example, administration and pastoral care. In a young and developing church, preaching and teaching are of course primary. Labor can also be rendered as “work hard” (Good News Translation), “toil.” In this context it probably refers to the performance of specific functions and can be rendered “especially those whose task is…” or “especially those who are assigned to….” Preaching translates the Greek word logos (literally “word”), which has a variety of usage in the New Testament: “message,” “speech,” “the gospel.” In the present context logos does not have the article and most probably refers to the act of proclaiming the message, both to believers and more importantly to nonbelievers. This is contrasted to teaching or Christian nurture, which is directed at believers, making clear to them what Christians should believe and the implications of their faith for their lives. The teaching ministry is perhaps carried out in catechetical classes that are established especially for new believers. See 4.13 on preaching and teaching.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• A group of believers (or, A church) should consider the elder (or, church leader) who guides them well as worthy of receiving respect and adequate pay. This especially refers to those leaders who work hard at teaching and preaching.

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 .

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 2:1

First of all signals that this is the beginning of a series, but more significantly, that what follows is of utmost importance. In many languages the expectation of the intended audience is that when there is a “first” there will be a second, a third, and so on. Since this is not the case here, translators will do well to restructure in such a way as to avoid this difficulty, as for example “Above all,” “Above everything else,” “More than anything else,” or “The most important thing (or, point) of all.”

Then connects the whole section to what precedes, namely, the instructions to restrain the false teachers from causing confusion in the community. The establishment of certain guidelines in the life of the church has for its primary purpose the correction and prevention of various kinds of abuses in the church. Another way to express the word then in some languages is to use the equivalent of “so” or “therefore” and say “Therefore, above everything else I urge…,” or one may restructure as follows: “In light of all this, more than anything else I urge…” or “In light of what I have just said….” This last model helps to connect this chapter with the preceding one, ensuring that the discourse in verse 1 of this chapter doesn’t begin too abruptly. When Paul wrote this letter there were no chapter divisions, so the original readers or hearers of the letter understood what then pointed back to. Translators should find the most natural way in the receptor language to connect this chapter to the preceding one.

Urge is the same word used in 1.3. The Greek verb can also mean “ask for earnestly” or “encourage,” but as in 1.3, the word here has an authoritative tone, thus practically transforming the instructions into commands. In this sense it may be translated as “exhort” or “strongly recommend.”

There are four words used here for prayer: supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings. The first word, supplications (Good News Translation “petitions”), is derived from a Greek verb that means “to ask with urgency based on presumed need,” “to plead,” “to beg.” Prayers is the more general word for prayer. Intercessions comes from a Greek verb that means “to speak to someone on behalf of another,” “to intercede.” Intercessions is used only here and in 4.5 in the whole New Testament; this fact indicates the importance of the community being involved in praying for all people. Finally thanksgivings comes from a verb that means “to express gratitude for blessings or benefits.” It can be seen from this brief summary that prayers is the generic word for prayer; thanksgivings is expressing gratitude and thanks to God; supplications is asking God to supply the needs of the Christian community; and intercessions is praying to God on behalf of other people, particularly those who are not yet members of the community of faith. Paul’s intention is not to make these terms exclusive of one another, as if one type of prayer was completely different from the other types, nor does he want to limit the prayer life of the community to these four types of prayers; rather, he wants to encourage and urge the Christian community to offer to God prayers of all kinds for all people. For all men is better translated “for all people” (Good News Translation), especially since in the Greek text the word for men is generic and therefore includes both men and women. In many languages the goal of these various verbs will need to be made explicit; for example, “I urge that the Christian men earnestly ask God to supply the needs of everyone, that they pray for others, that they pray on behalf of all people, and that they thank God for what he has done for everyone.”

Be made (Good News Translation “be offered”) has God as the implicit goal, since the prayers of the community are directed to God. Furthermore it is most probable that these prayers are offered during the public worship of the congregation. It is also very probable that in the light of verse 8 it is the men who are asked to offer these prayers. It may be necessary to supply this information; however, in languages that have the passive form, the translators may decide not to be specific at this point.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Therefore (or, In the light of what I have said,) I exhort (or, strongly recommend) that you (or, the men among you) earnestly ask God to supply the needs of everyone, that you pray for others, that you pray on behalf of all people, and that you thank God for what he has done for everyone.

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 .

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 4:10

For connects this verse with what precedes, and perhaps particularly with verse 8. To this end is literally “into this”; this Greek expression is frequently used in the New Testament to express a conclusion and is often translated as “Therefore.” In the present context it expresses not result but purpose: the main reason and motivation for all the toil and struggle is to become spiritually fit, which is what verse 8 is referring to. This purpose can be displayed in translation by saying “We struggle and work hard to gain this life because….”

The we here is inclusive, referring to Paul, Timothy, and perhaps to other Christians as well. Toil and strive are synonymous terms, with toil referring to hard work and strive to intense struggle. Some in fact suggest that the Greek word for strive reminds one of the athlete who strains every muscle in order to achieve his or her goal of victory in the athletic arena. But of course the focus here is not on physical struggle but on the activities through which spiritual fitness is achieved.

As indicated in the UBS Greek New Testament, there is a textual problem related to the word strive. Instead of strive some manuscripts have a word that can be translated “suffer reproach.” The two Greek words concerned are quite similar in spelling and pronunciation, which explains how the textual problem has arisen. It should be noted, however, that while “suffer reproach” fits the context, the textual evidence for strive is so overwhelming that it is best to follow this reading.

What makes the struggle possible is now mentioned, namely, hope in the living God. For hope see 1.1. Have our hope set translates a verb in the perfect tense, which indicates that while the initial act of placing hope in God is in the past, the effect of such an act continues to the present. God is described as the living God, for which see 3.15. God is further described as the Savior of all men (or better, “of all people,” since the Greek word is the generic word for humankind). For God as Savior see 1.1 and 2.3. The focus here is on the universality of the saving act of God. But while this is so, the saving act of God is especially aimed at those who believe, a reference to Christians, since it is they who have put their trust in Christ Jesus. Some have seen a theological problem here and have proposed as a solution to read a general meaning to Savior when those being saved are all people (as, for example, preserver, one who rescues from danger, and so forth), and the more specific meaning of bestowing spiritual salvation when those being saved are those who believe. Another solution that is proposed is to explain the verse as saying that, while God is potentially the savior of all people, his saving activity only becomes a reality among those who believe. It is possible of course to take the statement as it is and to interpret it as emphasizing the clear preference of God to save all people, an idea that is already expressed in 2.4.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:
• We struggle and work hard to gain this life that God has promised because we have trusted (or, placed our hearts in) the living God. He is the one who saves all people, especially those who believe in him.

Or:
• We have trusted in the living God who saves all people, especially those who believe in him. That is why we work and struggle so hard to gain this life that God has promised.

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 .

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 6:6

The mention of using godliness as a means of gaining profit leads directly to this verse, which contrasts with the last part of verse 5 (that is, godliness being used for profit), but at the same time it uses the same concepts there to assume the proper relationship between godliness and profit. The relationship between these two verses is indicated by the connective that is not translated in Revised Standard Version but appears in Good News Translation as “Well” (compare New Revised Standard Version “Of course”).

The verse affirms that there is indeed great gain in godliness, but gain is used here in a spiritual rather than a material sense, and one may translate as “lots of good things in their hearts.” The problem with people whose preoccupation is gathering wealth is that they are never satisfied; they always have this craving for more and more wealth. Other ways to express There is great gain in godliness are “Of course, if one is a Christian, his life is full of good things” or “Of course, being a Christian causes one’s life to be full of good things.” In contrast, those who have discovered the real meaning of godliness know the meaning of contentment. The word used here describes a favorite Greek virtue, one especially valued by Stoic philosophers. The word itself can mean either sufficiency, that is, having enough resources in oneself and therefore lacking in nothing, or contentment, that is, being content with one’s state or condition in life. Some translations focus on the former meaning; for example, New English Bible “the man whose resources are within him.” Many others stress the meaning of contentment; for example, Good News Translation “if he is satisfied with what he has,” Jerusalem Bible “only to those who are content with what they have.” One other problem is how to take the expression godliness with contentment, which can mean godliness that is characterized by contentment, or, more likely, godliness that is accompanied by contentment; this latter position is reflected in most modern translations.

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 .

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 3:2

Now translates a Greek word that can be literally rendered “therefore.” This may be taken as simply relating this verse to the previous one and therefore can be left out in the translation. Or it can be understood as emphasizing the importance of the position and the need for high qualifications (compare Contemporary English Version “That’s why”).

Since the office of bishop is such an important one, the qualifications for such an office should be defined very carefully, and this is done in these next six verses. The first trait mentioned is that the bishop should be above reproach. This does not mean that he should be sinless, but that his conduct and actions should be seen by the congregation as blameless (Good News Translation “without fault”). It is possible to take this term either as the first of twelve virtues or as a general summary of the eleven qualities that a bishop should have. If it is the first of twelve virtues, one may restructure as “a church leader must have these virtues: he must have no faults….” If, however, this is a general summary of the eleven qualities, one may translate, for example, “he should have no faults; for example, he must have only…” or “he should have no faults. This means that he must have only….” Either of these is possible, and it is difficult to choose which one is more valid. But since this virtue is quite generic in contrast to the others, which are quite specific, the second option seems more appropriate.

Next, the bishop must be the husband of one wife. This looks as if it does not need further explanation, but the statement is more complicated than it seems. Does it mean, for example, that bishops should be married, and that unmarried men are disqualified? Or is this a statement against polygamy, so that a man with more than one wife cannot become a bishop? Or again, does this prohibit second marriages, so that a man who desires to be a bishop should not get married again, even though he is divorced or even if his first wife dies? (See for example, the note in Good News Translation.) Or, finally, does this put stress on faithfulness to one’s wife? (See, for example, New English Bible “faithful to his one wife.”) This last interpretation assumes that the person is married, but it does not rule out polygamy, divorce, and remarriage, and does not necessarily prohibit a widower from marrying again. All four options are possible, although the last option may have some advantages, since unfaithfulness in the marriage relationship was a common occurrence in the world of the New Testament. If translators follow this final option “faithful to his one wife,” then they should put the other main option “have only one wife” in a footnote.

The next five virtues are each represented by one Greek word. The first three are closely related and describe an orderly life. Temperate (Good News Translation “sober”) translates a word that generally means abstaining from wine or strong drink. While it can have that sense here, it is more likely that it is used here in a metaphorical sense to describe conduct that is free from any form of excess, particularly in moral and spiritual matters. Other ways to say this are “doesn’t do anything to excess” or “not immoderate (or, intemperate) in anything he does.” Sensible and dignified appear together in non-Christian writings to describe ideal behavior. Sensible (Good News Translation “self-controlled”) describes a mind that is earnest and sound. This is expressed in various ways in other languages; for example, “know how to control one’s actions and feelings,” “the ability to say no to one’s own desires.” Dignified, on the other hand, translates the same word used in 2.9 (there translated “seemly,” where it is used to describe the way women dress). Here the focus is on human behavior and puts emphasis on being well-ordered and free from confusion, hence “orderly” (Good News Translation), “well-behaved” (Contemporary English Version).

The fourth virtue in this series of single words is hospitable (literally “friend of strangers”). The early Christians were admonished to practice this virtue. This was understandable, considering the small number of Christians in a community, coupled with the need to provide accommodation for Christian travelers, especially traveling missionaries. Other ways of expressing hospitable are “ready to welcome as guests those who are traveling” or “welcome Christians into their homes who are strangers” (see also A Handbook on The First Letter from Peter, page 140, for a further discussion on “hospitality”).

The fifth virtue is the ability to teach (an apt teacher), accenting the function of a bishop as one who is able both to teach true doctrine and to refute false teachings. This term is used again in 2 Tim 2.24. Another way of saying this is “able to teach the believers well.”

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 .