complete verse (1 Timothy 6:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Timothy 6:18:

  • Uma: “Advise them to always do good deeds, help others, give happily, and have good hearts [i.e., be kind].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Teach them also that they ought to always do good to their companions, so-then their good doings are already their riches. Tell them that they ought not to be stingy/miserly but they ought to be generous when/if they give to the ones who are in need.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Tell the rich believers that they should hold tight to doing good for this is true wealth. They should be generous and helpful.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Command them also to do good so that they will also be rich in good deeds. Also they should not hold-back/be-selfish-with their wealth (RL equivalent of generous) but rather they should share-with their companions.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Instruct them to keep on doing good works, for it’s all of these good works which they are doing which is true wealth, not that amount of money which can be accumulated. Therefore what is good is, don’t keep-for-oneself but rather they are to be generous and helpful to their fellowman.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Tell those people who have much money to do good. Because it is more valuable that they have done good than that they gather money. Tell them not to hold back from giving to people from what they find.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 6:18

Doing good and being generous are here emphasized as virtues to be practiced by rich people. In the Greek this verse is not a complete sentence but is part of the sentence that started with verse 17. Therefore the main verb of this verse is “Command” at the beginning of verse 17, and this is made explicit in Good News Translation. The verse consists of two pairs, the first of which refers to doing good, and the second to being generous. To do good and to be rich in good deeds are synonymous; the repetition enhances the importance of this virtue. The second expression, to be rich in good deeds, is more emphatic and intensive than the first; once again it plays on the word rich. This would easily remind the wealthy that, in addition to being materially rich, they should also be rich in the many good deeds that they are capable of performing because of their material wealth. It may not be possible, of course, in some languages to retain the idiom, in which case the two parallel expressions can be combined in a meaningful way; for example, “do good in many ways” or “do many good deeds.”

Liberal and generous are also synonyms. Liberal is more accurately rendered as “generous” (Good News Translation, also New Revised Standard Version), while generous indicates readiness and willingness to share with others. The Greek word in this case is based on the word for “fellowship,” and this may indicate that the wealthy are being urged not only to share their material possessions with others (compare Good News Translation), but also to be involved themselves in various concerns of the Christian community. In many languages generous will be rendered figuratively; for example, “have a wide heart,” and so on.

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 6:18

6:18a

Instruct them to do good: Paul also told Timothy to instruct rich believers to do good. In this context do good refers to helping others in practical ways.

6:18b

to be rich in good works: This verse part emphasizes 6:18a. Paul wanted the rich believers not only to do good (6:18a) but to do so “richly.” That is, he wanted them to do many good deeds.

rich: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as rich literally means “wealthy.” It was used in this literal way in 6:17a. Here the word is used figuratively (as in 6:17e) to mean “generous,” or “abundant.”

In both Greek and English the word rich can have both this literal and figurative meaning. In many languages it is not possible to use the same word in both ways. If this is true in your language, you should not try to use the same word but translate the meaning clearly.

6:18c

generous: Paul wanted the rich believers to be generous. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as generous refers to someone who gladly gives his money or possessions to other people when they need them.

6:18d

ready to share: Paul also wanted the rich believers to be willing to share their possessions with others.

General Comment on 6:18c–d

These two words translated “generous” and “ready to share” mean almost the same thing. In some languages it may be necessary to combine these two terms into one expression.

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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.