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The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as a form of “save” in English is translated in Shipibo-Conibo with a phrase that means literally “make to live,” which combines the meaning of “to rescue” and “to deliver from danger,” but also the concept of “to heal” or “restore to health.”

Other translations include:

  • San Blas Kuna: “help the heart”
  • Laka: “take by the hand” in the meaning of “rescue” or “deliver”
  • Huautla Mazatec: “lift out on behalf of”
  • Anuak: “have life because of”
  • Central Mazahua: “be healed in the heart”
  • Baoulé: “save one’s head”
  • Guerrero Amuzgo: “come out well”
  • Northwestern Dinka: “be helped as to his breath” (or “life”) (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida),
  • Matumbi: “rescue (from danger)” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
  • Noongar: barrang-ngandabat or “hold life” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • South Bolivian Quechua: “make to escape”
  • Highland Puebla Nahuatl: “cause people to come out with the aid of the hand” (source for this and one above: Nida 1947, p. 222)
  • Bariai: “retrieve one back” (source: Bariai Back Translation)

See also salvation and save (Japanese honorifics).

complete verse (1 Timothy 4:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Timothy 4:16:

  • Uma: “Guard your behavior, and guard also your teaching. Keep doing all this work, for from this you will get goodness, and so will the people who hear your teaching.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Watch/be careful of yourself and your teaching. And be sure to do what I have preached to/taught you. If you persevere in doing this, it will not only be you who is saved but also all who hear/listen to you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Thoroughly see to your own behavior and your teaching. For if you hold tight to this you are not the only one who will be freed from punishment, rather by means of you it will be possible that the people who listen to your teaching will be freed also.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Be-sure-to/Thoroughly guard your (sing.) behavior and what you (sing.) are teaching, because if you (sing.) persevere in doing this, it will not only be yourself (sing.) that you (sing.) will save but rather also those who are listening to you (sing.).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Be very careful of your way-of-life and your teaching. Do all of this with a concentrated mind/inner-being so that the outcome will be, it’s not just you will be saved, but on the contrary including the ones you are teaching, they can/will be saved also.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Be very careful and take care that you teach the word which you should. If you do what I tell you, then you will save your soul and also the souls of those who listen to you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 4:16

This last verse is an appropriate summing up of the preceding verses. Take heed to yourself refers back to verse 12 and perhaps verse 14 as well; your teaching refers back to verse 13; and as we shall see later, hold to that may refer back to verse 15. The word Take heed pertains to being attentive, holding on, paying attention (so New Revised Standard Version “Pay close attention”). For teaching see verse 13. Here what is being referred to is not only the actual activity of teaching but also what is being taught. Hold to that is literally “remain in them” (so New Revised Standard Version “continue in these things”), with “them” referring to the duties and obligations he is supposed to discharge as a teacher, pastor, and leader of the congregation (so Good News Translation “Keep on doing these things”). If this interpretation is correct, then this part of the verse repeats the ideas emphasized in verse 15. An alternative translation model for the first part of this verse is “Watch (or, Be careful about) your conduct (or, the way you live) and the things you teach. You must keep doing these things I have instructed you to do.”

The result of Timothy’s persistence and faithfulness is the salvation of himself and those who listen to him. By so doing is literally “by doing this,” with “this” conveniently summing up all the activities and obligations that Timothy has been admonished to perform. For save see 1.15. It is possible that what is meant here is that by doing these things Timothy will save himself and his hearers from the false teachers. It is more likely, however, that the focus is perhaps on the final salvation at the end of the age. Understood in this way salvation includes being free from judgment and from the power of death. The recipients of this salvation are Timothy himself and those who hear him, that is, those who listen as Timothy exercises his duties of exhortation and teaching. The statement you will save both yourself and your hearers should not be taken literally, since in the New Testament the objects of salvation are sometimes spoken of as the agents (see, for example, Rom 11.14; 1 Cor 7.16; 9.22; James 2.14; 5.15, 20; Jude 23). In this letter the function of saving is assigned primarily to God, and this theological truth should influence the interpretation of the present verse. What is meant is not that Timothy is the one who will save himself and his hearers, but that he is the means by which he and his hearers will receive this eternal salvation. In languages that must indicate what Timothy and his listeners are saved from, one may say, for example, “you will save both yourself and your hearers from judgment” or “you will prevent both yourself and those who listen to you from having God judge you.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Be careful about the way you live and the things you teach. You must keep on doing these things that I have instructed you to do. As a result, through you God will save both you yourself and your hearers from judgment.

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 .

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 Timothy 4:16

4:16a

Pay close attention: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Pay close attention could also be translated as “focus on,” “be careful concerning,” “consider carefully.” The verb form in Greek suggests that Paul was commanding Timothy to continue to do something that he was already doing. He was not telling him to do something new. Paul was commanding Timothy to continue to pay careful attention to his behavior and what he taught.

your life: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as your life is literally “yourself.” This refers to behavior. Paul was telling Timothy to pay attention to the way that he behaved as a believer.

your teaching: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as teaching refers to the facts that Christians should believe about God and Christ. These were the facts that Paul and other apostles accepted as true. This was what Paul had taught Timothy (4:6) and was now telling Timothy that he should teach other believers (4:13c). See the note on 1:10d.

4:16c

for by so doing: Here Paul told Timothy the reason that it was so important to persevere.

Paul was not implying that Timothy might not persevere. The form of the Greek verb indicates that Paul was reminding him to continue to do things that he was already doing. See the note on 4:16a.

4:16d

you will save both yourself and those who hear you: Paul was not saying that Timothy and the other believers in Ephesus were not saved. Rather here he used the future tense (will save) to refer to the time when believers arrive in heaven. At that time their salvation is complete. In heaven there is no more suffering or persecution.

Specifically Paul was saying Timothy’s teaching and preaching was the way in which God was confirming Timothy’s own salvation. God was also using that teaching and preaching to tell others about himself so that they also could be saved. The New Testament writers wrote in the same way elsewhere (for example, in 1 Corinthians 9:22).

Paragraph 5:1–2

Paul told Timothy to treat all believers as if they were members of his family.

5:1a

Do not rebuke an older man: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as rebuke can also be translated “scold” or “correct severely.” This command and the following ones are addressed specifically to Timothy.

an older man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as an older man is the same one that Paul used in 4:14 to refer to a church leader. However, in this verse, Paul was referring to any man who was older than Timothy.

5:1b

but: The connector that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but indicates that 5:1b contrasts with 5:1a.

appeal to: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as appeal to means “to exhort,” “to encourage,” “to advise strongly,” or “to urge earnestly.” Use a word or phrase in your language that expresses the way that a son might respectfully urge his father to do something.

as to a father: Paul was telling Timothy to treat older men in a way that showed that he respected them and loved them.

5:1c

Treat: In the Greek text, there is no verb in this part of the verse. The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the verb Treat. Or you might use the verb “exhort” from 5:1b. Paul wanted Timothy to show these men that he cared about them and that he was concerned for their welfare.

younger men: This probably refers to men who were younger than Timothy himself.

brothers: In some languages, it is necessary to differentiate between “older brothers” and “younger brothers.” If this is true in your language, use the term that means “younger brothers” here.

© 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.