1 Timothy 1:17-19
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
17 To the king of ages,[a] incorruptible, invisible, the only God, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.(A)
Responsibility of Timothy.[b] 18 I entrust this charge to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophetic words once spoken about you.[c] Through them may you fight a good fight(B) 19 by having faith and a good conscience. Some, by rejecting conscience, have made a shipwreck of their faith,(C)
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- 1:17 King of ages: through Semitic influence, the Greek expression could mean “everlasting king”; it could also mean “king of the universe.”
- 1:18–20 Timothy is to be mindful of his calling, which is here compared to the way Barnabas and Saul were designated by Christ as prophets for missionary service; cf. Acts 13:1–3. Such is probably the sense of the allusion to the prophetic words (1 Tm 1:18). His task is not to yield, whether in doctrine or in conduct, to erroneous opinions, taking warning from what has already happened at Ephesus in the case of Hymenaeus and Alexander (1 Tm 1:19–20).
- 1:18 The prophetic words once spoken about you: the Greek may also be translated, “the prophecies that led (me) to you.” It probably refers to testimonies given by charismatic figures in the Christian communities. Fight a good fight: this translation preserves the play on words in Greek. The Greek terms imply a lengthy engagement in battle and might well be translated “wage a good campaign.”
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