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1 Timothy 1:12-17 ESV

NT

1 Timothy 1:12-17

esv

Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners 12 I thank him x who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, y appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, z persecutor, and insolent opponent. But a I received mercy b because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and c the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the d faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is e trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus f came into the world to save sinners, g of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To h the King of the ages, i immortal, j invisible, k the only God, l be honor and glory forever and ever. 1 Amen.

1 Timothy 1:12-17 NA28

1 Timothy 1:12-17

na28

12 Χάριν ἔχω τῷ ἐνδυναμώσαντί με Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ὅτι πιστόν με ἡγήσατο θέμενος εἰς διακονίαν 13 τὸ πρότερον ὄντα βλάσφημον καὶ διώκτην καὶ ὑβριστήν, ἀλλʼ ἠλεήθην, ὅτι ἀγνοῶν ἐποίησα ἐν ἀπιστίᾳ• 14 ὑπερεπλεόνασεν δὲ ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν μετὰ πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. 15 πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος, ὅτι Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῶσαι, ὧν πρῶτός εἰμι ἐγώ. 16 ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ἠλεήθην, ἵνα ἐν ἐμοὶ πρώτῳ ἐνδείξηται Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς τὴν ἅπασαν μακροθυμίαν πρὸς ὑποτύπωσιν τῶν μελλόντων πιστεύειν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. 17 Τῷ δὲ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων, ἀφθάρτῳ ἀοράτῳ μόνῳ θεῷ, τιμὴ καὶ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν.

Arc

editing

1 Timothy 1:12-17

na28

Χάριν ἔχω τῷ ἐνδυναμώσαντί με Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν,

I thank him x who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord,

ὅτι πιστόν με ἡγήσατο

because he judged me faithful,

θέμενος εἰς διακονίαν

y appointing me to his service,

actionresult

τὸ πρότερον ὄντα βλάσφημον καὶ διώκτην καὶ ὑβριστήν,

though formerly I was a blasphemer, z persecutor, and insolent opponent.

ἀλλʼ ἠλεήθην,

But a I received mercy

ὅτι ἀγνοῶν ἐποίησα ἐν ἀπιστίᾳ•

b because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,

ground

ὑπερεπλεόνασεν δὲ ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν

and c the grace of our Lord overflowed for me

μετὰ πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.

with the d faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

ideaexplanation

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concessive

πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος,

The saying is e trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance,

ὅτι Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον

that Christ Jesus f came into the world

ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῶσαι,

to save sinners,

ὧν πρῶτός εἰμι ἐγώ.

g of whom I am the foremost.

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actionpurpose

ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ἠλεήθην,

But I received mercy for this reason,

ἵνα ἐν ἐμοὶ πρώτῳ ἐνδείξηται Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς τὴν ἅπασαν μακροθυμίαν

that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience

πρὸς ὑποτύπωσιν τῶν μελλόντων πιστεύειν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

inference

Τῷ δὲ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων, ἀφθάρτῳ ἀοράτῳ μόνῳ θεῷ, τιμὴ καὶ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν.

To h the King of the ages, i immortal, j invisible, k the only God, l be honor and glory forever and ever. 1 Amen.

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Dox

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Commentary

Paul here sketches out both what Christ has done for him and why he has done it. This is what we were saved to, rather than remaining under the law (1:3-11). Paul thanks Christ Jesus our Lord because he considered Paul to be faithful even though he had spent his life persecuting the Church. The question is, “How could Paul be considered faithful by Jesus in any way?” Paul gives us two answers. First, he “received mercy because [he] had acted ignorantly in unbelief.” This does not mean that Paul got a “Get Out of Jail Free” card because he did not know who Jesus was or had not heard the gospel. The situation was quite the opposite. He knew exactly who Jesus claimed to be and hated him for it. Rather, Paul was spiritually ignorant, blind to the beauty of Christ, until he received mercy, the forgiveness of his sins. Second, Paul gives us a saying that is trustworthy and explains his own situation (1:15d-16): “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1:15b).” This was his mission! And the result of that mission was that evil, Christ-persecuting people like Paul could receive mercy. As a result of this, Paul was a walking advertisement for Christ’s mercy and grace. Paul was considered as faithful specifically because his sins had been forgiven and he had encountered and fallen in love with the beauty and grace of Christ. He was chosen for a task, and Christ equipped him for it: to broadcast to those who would believe the greatness of the grace of Christ, the King!