PAUL'S “OWN SON IN THE FAITH” (1 TIMOTHY 1:2) · CALLED IN ACTS 16: PAUL TAKES HIM

Timothy. A young disciple who served Paul “as a son with the father”.

ALSO CALLED

Timotheus

FROM

Paul found him at Derbe and Lystra: “a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus”, “well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium”.

TRADE

Scripture does not say

FAMILY

His mother was “a Jewess, and believed”; his father “was a Greek”.

WRITINGS

1 and 2 Timothy (letters addressed to him)

BACKGROUND

Home, trade and family

FROM

FAMILY

  • His mother was “a Jewess, and believed”; his father “was a Greek”. Acts 16:1 Acts 16:3
  • Paul remembers “the unfeigned faith” that dwelt first in “thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice”. 2 Timothy 1:5
  • “From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures.” 2 Timothy 3:15
  • Paul calls him “my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord”, “my own son in the faith” and “my dearly beloved son”. 1 Corinthians 4:17 1 Timothy 1:2 2 Timothy 1:2

THE CALLING

Called, as 2 accounts tell it

“Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.”

Acts 16:3 (KJV) →

WHERE HE WENT

Acts and after

  • Lystra · Paul found him at Derbe and Lystra (Acts 16:1); Rutherfurd (ISBE) and Easton take Lystra as his home. Acts 16:1–2 2 Timothy 3:11
  • Derbe Acts 16:1
  • Iconium · Its brethren spoke well of him. Acts 16:2
  • Berea · Stayed here with Silas. Acts 17:14
  • Athens · Sent from here to Thessalonica. 1 Thessalonians 3:1–2
  • Thessalonica · Sent to strengthen the church. 1 Thessalonians 3:2 1 Thessalonians 3:6
  • Corinth · Preached here; sent back later. Acts 18:5 2 Corinthians 1:19 +2 more
  • Macedonia · Sent ahead of Paul with Erastus. Acts 19:22
  • Troas · Waited here for Paul. Acts 20:4–5
  • Philippi · Paul hoped to send him here. Philippians 1:1 Philippians 2:19
  • Ephesus · Asked to stay here (1 Timothy 1:3). Called its first bishop by Eusebius (about 325) and the Apostolic Constitutions (4th century or earlier) (tradition). Acts 19:22 1 Timothy 1:3

IN ACTS AND THE LETTERS

  • Paul circumcised him “because of the Jews which were in those quarters”, and he travelled with Paul and Silas through the cities. Acts 16:3–5
  • At Berea he and Silas stayed behind when Paul was sent to Athens; they were told to come “with all speed”, and came “from Macedonia” to Paul at Corinth. Acts 17:14–15 Acts 18:5
  • Paul writes that from Athens “we … sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ” to Thessalonica, and that he came back with “good tidings of your faith and charity”. 1 Thessalonians 3:1–6
  • From the textActs does not mention Timothy at Athens; 1 Thessalonians says he was sent from there. Acts 17:15–16 1 Thessalonians 3:1–2
  • Scholars' viewSmith (1884) and Rutherfurd (ISBE, 1915) take it that he came to Athens and was sent back to Thessalonica. 1 Thessalonians 3:1–2 [20][23]
  • At Corinth he preached with Paul and Silvanus, and he is named with Paul and Silvanus in both letters to the Thessalonians. 2 Corinthians 1:19 1 Thessalonians 1:1 2 Thessalonians 1:1
  • From Ephesus Paul sent “Timotheus and Erastus” into Macedonia, and sent him on to Corinth: “Let no man therefore despise him”. Acts 19:22 1 Corinthians 4:17 1 Corinthians 16:10–11
  • He is named with Paul at the head of 2 Corinthians, and he sends greetings in Romans: “Timotheus my workfellow”. 2 Corinthians 1:1 Romans 16:21
  • He was among those who went ahead of Paul to Troas on the way to Jerusalem. Acts 20:4–5
  • He is named with Paul in the letters Paul wrote as a prisoner: Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. Paul planned to send him to Philippi: “I have no man likeminded”; “as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel”. Philippians 1:1 Philippians 2:19–23 Colossians 1:1 Philemon 1:1
  • 1 Timothy says Paul asked him “to abide still at Ephesus” when Paul went into Macedonia, to charge some “that they teach no other doctrine”; Paul tells him, “Let no man despise thy youth”. 1 Timothy 1:3 1 Timothy 4:12
  • Paul tells him to “use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities”. 1 Timothy 5:23
  • In 2 Timothy Paul, a prisoner, remembers his tears and asks him to come “shortly” and “before winter”, bringing Mark, the cloak left at Troas, the books and the parchments. 2 Timothy 1:4 2 Timothy 1:8 2 Timothy 4:9–13 2 Timothy 4:21
  • Hebrews says: “Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.” Hebrews 13:23

COMPANIONS

Who was with him

Each line joins him to someone Scripture places beside him.

  • Paul Took him with him on his journey; called him “my beloved son”; named him beside himself at the head of six letters, and wrote two to him. Acts 16:3 1 Corinthians 4:17 2 Corinthians 1:1 Philippians 1:1 Colossians 1:1 1 Thessalonians 1:1 +4 more
  • Silas Travelled and waited with him at Berea; came with him to Corinth. Acts 17:14 Acts 18:5
  • Erastus Sent into Macedonia with him. Acts 19:22
  • Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Tychicus and Trophimus Went with him ahead of Paul to Troas. Acts 20:4–5
  • Eunice His mother, a believing Jewess. Acts 16:1 2 Timothy 1:5
  • Lois His grandmother, in whom the same faith dwelt first. 2 Timothy 1:5
  • Mark Paul asks Timothy to bring him: “he is profitable to me for the ministry”. 2 Timothy 4:11

HOW THE STORY ENDS

Scripture says, tradition says

SCRIPTURE SAYS

  • In 2 Timothy Paul asks him twice to come quickly; Scripture does not say whether he reached Paul. 2 Timothy 4:9 2 Timothy 4:21
  • Hebrews reports that “our brother Timothy is set at liberty”; it does not say from what, or where he went next. Hebrews 13:23

TRADITION SAYS

  • Eusebius writes: “Timothy, so it is recorded, was the first to receive the episcopate of the parish in Ephesus”.[1] Who says so: Eusebius, Church History 3.4.6, about AD 325
  • The Apostolic Constitutions list among bishops ordained by the apostles: “Of Ephesus, Timotheus, ordained by Paul”.[7] Who says so: Constitutions of the Holy Apostles 7.46, a compilation its ANF editor places “not later than the fourth century”
  • That he died a martyr under Domitian is recorded by Nicephorus, “upon what authority we do not know”, as McGiffert notes; Smith (1884) reports the old traditions as “a martyr's death under Domitian or Nerva”.[2][20] Who says so: Nicephorus Callistus, Church History 3.11 (as reported by McGiffert), Byzantine (date not checked here)
  • McGiffert (1890) calls the title “bishop of Ephesus” the “customary but unwarranted carrying back into the first century” of an office known only from the second.[2] Who says so: A. C. McGiffert, note on Eusebius 3.4, 1890

WRITINGS

Writings tied to him

LETTERS

1 and 2 Timothy (letters addressed to him)

OPEN QUESTIONS

Where readers have differed

Lystra

Rutherfurd, ISBE (1915); Easton (1897)

Acts 20:4 lists “Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus”, as if Timothy were not of Derbe, and the brethren who spoke for him were “at Lystra and Iconium”. Acts 16:1–2 Acts 20:4 [23][19]

Acts leaves it open

Smith (1884)

Smith: “The language of the Acts leaves it uncertain whether Lystra or Derbe was the residence of the devout family.” Acts 16:1 [20]

IN SCRIPTURE

Every passage

CHAPTERS · 22

Acts 16 Acts 17 Acts 18 Acts 19 Acts 20 Romans 16 1 Corinthians 4 1 Corinthians 16 2 Corinthians 1 Philippians 1 Philippians 2 Colossians 1 1 Thessalonians 1 1 Thessalonians 3 2 Thessalonians 1 1 Timothy 1 1 Timothy 4 2 Timothy 1 2 Timothy 3 2 Timothy 4 Philemon 1 Hebrews 13

PASSAGES · 23

Acts 16:1–5 Acts 17:14–15 Acts 18:5 Acts 19:22 Acts 20:4–5 Romans 16:21 1 Corinthians 4:17 1 Corinthians 16:10–11 2 Corinthians 1:1 2 Corinthians 1:19 Philippians 1:1 Philippians 2:19–24 Colossians 1:1 1 Thessalonians 1:1 1 Thessalonians 3:1–6 2 Thessalonians 1:1 1 Timothy 1:1–3 1 Timothy 4:12–16 2 Timothy 1:1–6 2 Timothy 3:10–15 2 Timothy 4:9–22 Philemon 1:1 Hebrews 13:23

WHAT SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY

  • Scripture does not name Timothy's father.
  • Scripture does not say when or how Timothy first believed, though Paul calls him his son in the faith.
  • Scripture does not say whether Timothy reached Paul in Rome before Paul's death.
  • Hebrews does not say where or why Timothy had been held, or who wrote the words about him.
  • Scripture does not record Timothy's death.

IDENTIFICATIONS THIS PAGE RELIES ON

  • From the textThe KJV spells his name Timotheus in Acts and most letters and Timothy in others (for example 2 Corinthians 1:1 and 1 Timothy 1:2); it is one Greek name. Acts 16:1 2 Corinthians 1:1 1 Timothy 1:2
  • Scholars' viewEaston (1897), Smith (1884) and Rutherfurd (ISBE, 1915) take Paul's “own son in the faith” to mean Paul brought him to faith, probably at Lystra on the first journey, when Timothy saw the persecutions Paul names “at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra”. Acts 14:6–7 1 Timothy 1:2 2 Timothy 3:10–11 [19][20][23]
  • Scholars' viewHebrews names “our brother Timothy” as “set at liberty” without saying more; Rutherfurd (ISBE, 1915) takes this to be Paul's Timothy, and adds that Hebrews was not written by Paul. Hebrews 13:23 [23]
  • Scholars' viewLightfoot (1890) holds that Timothy is not called an apostle: Paul writes “Paul, an apostle … and Timothy our brother”. 2 Corinthians 1:1 Colossians 1:1 [11]

SOURCES

Where this page comes from

  • Eusebius (trans. A. C. McGiffert, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 1), Church History (1890), 3.4.6-7; 6.25.6.
  • A. C. McGiffert, Notes to Eusebius, Church History (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 1) (1890), book 3, chapter 4, notes 607-611 and 614-615; book 6, chapter 25, note 1981.
  • Irenaeus (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1), Against Heresies (1885), 3.1.1; 3.13.3 with note 3538; 3.14.1.
  • Tertullian (trans. Peter Holmes, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3), Against Marcion (1885), book 4, chapter 2; book 5, chapter 3.
  • Unknown (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 5), The Muratorian Fragment (Canon Muratorianus) (1886), sections 1-2.
  • Ascribed to Hippolytus (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 5), On the Seventy Apostles (1886), list nos. 15-17 and 50, with note 2027 ("Probably spurious, but yet antique").
  • Unknown (ed. James Donaldson; notes by M. B. Riddle; Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 7), Constitutions of the Holy Apostles (1886), book 7, chapter 46; Riddle's introductory notice ("not later than the fourth century").
  • Jerome (trans. E. C. Richardson, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 3), Lives of Illustrious Men (1892), chapter 7 (Luke); chapter 135 (written "the fourteenth of the Emperor Theodosius").
  • Clement of Rome (trans. J. B. Lightfoot), 1 Clement (1891), chapter 47 (checked against the 1891 printing, archive.org apostolicfathers00ligh).
  • Suetonius (trans. J. C. Rolfe, Loeb Classical Library), The Lives of the Caesars: The Deified Claudius (1914), 25.4.
  • J. B. Lightfoot, Saint Paul's Epistle to the Galatians (10th ed.; scan of a later reprint) (1890), pp. 96-98 ("The name and office of an Apostle", with notes); pp. 104-105 (on 2:3-5); pp. 121-123.
  • F. W. Farrar, The Life and Work of St. Paul (1898 printing) (1879), pp. 234-236 ("Was he circumcised?").
  • Brooke Foss Westcott, The Epistle to the Hebrews: The Greek Text with Notes and Essays (2nd ed.) (1892), Introduction, "History and Authorship", pp. lxxiv-lxxix.
  • Marcus Dods, "The Epistle to the Hebrews", in The Expositor's Greek Testament, vol. IV (1897 (1910 printing)), Introduction: authorship, pp. 228-229.
  • Charles Bigg, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude (2nd ed. 1902) (1901), Introduction to 1 Peter, p. 5.
  • W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen (1895), ch. III (Titus and the famine visit); ch. IX section 3 ("The coming of Luke"); ch. X; ch. XI (Aquila and the edict); ch. XII sections 1-2 (Cenchreae; Apollos, Priscilla and Aquila); ch. XIII (Titus); ch. XVII (Luke and Antioch).
  • W. J. Conybeare and J. S. Howson, The Life and Epistles of St. Paul, new edition (first published 1852) (1891), ch. XI, pp. 300-301 (Aquila and Priscilla); ch. XII, pp. 330-331 and note (the vow at Cenchreae).
  • Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, vol. 1: Apostolic Christianity (revised ed.) (1890), section 82 (Luke), with notes 991-994; section 85 (Acts), with note 1098.
  • M. G. Easton, Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897), entries Silas; Timothy; Titus; Luke; Apollos; Aquila; Priscilla.
  • William Smith, Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884), entries Silas; Timothy; Titus; Titus Justus; Luke; Apollos; Aquila.
  • C. M. Kerr, Silas (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) (1915), read online at internationalstandardbible.com; to be checked against a scan of the printed 1915 edition.
  • C. M. Kerr, Apollos (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) (1915), read online at internationalstandardbible.com; to be checked against a scan of the printed 1915 edition.
  • John Rutherfurd, Timothy (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) (1915), read online at internationalstandardbible.com; to be checked against a scan of the printed 1915 edition.
  • John Rutherfurd, Titus (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) (1915), read online at internationalstandardbible.com; to be checked against a scan of the printed 1915 edition.
  • A. T. Robertson, Luke, the Evangelist (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) (1915), read online at internationalstandardbible.com; to be checked against a scan of the printed 1915 edition.
  • International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (article unsigned in the online text), Acts of the Apostles, part 1 (III. Unity of the Book; IV. The Author) (1915), read online at internationalstandardbible.com; to be checked against a scan of the printed 1915 edition.
  • Jacob W. Kapp, Aquila (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) (1915), read online at internationalstandardbible.com; to be checked against a scan of the printed 1915 edition.
  • William G. Moorehead, Peter, the First Epistle of (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) (1915), section on Silvanus; read online at internationalstandardbible.com; to be checked against a scan of the printed 1915 edition.

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