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 .