complete verse (1 Timothy 1:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Timothy 1:7:

  • Uma: “They want to become teachers of the Law of Musa, yet they don’t even know [what] its benefit [is]. They say/think [emphatic] they are clever at explaining the meaning of the Law of Musa, yet actually they don’t know its purpose.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They say that they are the religious-teachers (guru) of God’s law and-what’s-more certainly they do not understand their words/what-they-are speaking-about and what they preach/teach strongly to people.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For even though they would like to be teachers of the law left behind by Moses, they have no idea about what they are saying, and they do not understand the doctrine which they force on other people.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “They want to teach God’s law, but the truth of it is, they don’t understand what they insist is true and even the words they are saying, they don’t know what they mean (lit. want to say).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “They want hopefully to be teachers of what was commanded by God. But well, they haven’t understood these words of his. They haven’t comprehended the meaning of that which they teach, even though they testify boldly about it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “They want it to be said that they know well how to teach God’s law. They speak authoritatively when they teach. But it is not true that they understand about the word they want to teach.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 1:7

The false teachers are further described as lacking in adequate understanding of what they are teaching. Of special interest to translators is the fact that this verse is still part of the sentence that began in verse 5. But since the subject matter of this verse is not closely connected with the preceding one, it may be much better to start a new sentence here, as indeed many translations have done.

Desiring translates a present participle, which indicates that the event being discussed is happening at that very moment. The verb “desire” means “to want something,” “to aspire for something”; in this context it can even mean “to claim to be something.” The ambition of these false teachers is to be teachers of the law. Law here may have the general meaning of “divine law” or “teaching from God” (so Good News Translation; compare New English Bible [New English Bible] “moral law”), or may refer specifically to the Old Testament, particularly “the Law of Moses” as contained in the first five books of the Bible (so Contemporary English Version). It is difficult to be certain, but the first option seems more appropriate to the context. Desiring to be teachers of the law may also be rendered as “They want to teach people God’s Law,” if translators follow the first interpretation above. But if the second interpretation is followed, one can translate, for example, “They want to teach people the law that Moses gave (or, handed down).”

But this claim to be the legitimate teachers of the law is shown to be not valid, since these false teachers are without understanding. Understanding translates the present participle of a verb that refers to the act of comprehending something after careful thought and consideration. Many translators will find Good News Translation‘s “but they do not understand” a more natural model. What these false teachers do not understand is twofold: what they are saying, that is, “their own words” (Good News Translation), “the things they say,” and things about which they make assertions. The verb translated make assertions occurs only here and in Titus 3.8 (translated there as “insist on”). The verb means to state something with confidence, firmness, and certainty, hence to affirm, to emphasize (compare Good News Translation “speak with such confidence”).

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 .