21I earnestly testify before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels that you guard these things without prejudging, doing nothing out of partiality. [5:22] Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, and do not share in another's sins; keep yourself pure. [5:23] No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent ailments. [5:24] The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. [5:25] So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.
1TI 5:21-25
A Charge to Timothy
In the world it was spoken into
In the Greco-Roman world, public charges and oaths were often made before witnesses to ensure accountability and solemnity. Here, the speaker invokes God, Christ Jesus, and the elect angels as witnesses, a practice rooted in Jewish covenantal traditions where divine witnesses validated oaths. The charge to avoid prejudice and partiality reflects the Roman legal ideal of impartial judgment, though in practice, patronage networks often influenced decisions. The laying on of hands was a ritual act in Jewish and early Christian contexts, symbolizing commissioning or blessing, but it carried weighty responsibility—misuse could implicate one in another’s sins. The advice to drink wine instead of water addresses Timothy’s health, as water in urban areas was often unsafe, while wine was a safer, medicinal alternative. The mention of sins and good works being revealed aligns with Jewish eschatological expectations, where hidden deeds would ultimately be exposed at judgment. This passage underscores the gravity of leadership and the need for integrity in a community shaped by both Jewish and Greco-Roman values.
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How other translations render this
1TI 5:21
- KJV
- I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
- BSB
- I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality.
- Koinōnos
- I earnestly testify before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels that you guard these things without prejudging, doing nothing out of partiality.
1TI 5:22
- KJV
- Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.
- BSB
- Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
- Koinōnos
- Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, and do not share in another's sins; keep yourself pure.
1TI 5:23
- KJV
- Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.
- BSB
- Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
- Koinōnos
- No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent ailments.
1TI 5:24
- KJV
- Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
- BSB
- The sins of some men are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment; but the sins of others do not surface until later.
- Koinōnos
- The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.
1TI 5:25
- KJV
- Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
- BSB
- In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even the ones that are inconspicuous cannot remain hidden.
- Koinōnos
- So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
1TI 5:21
- I earnestly testify:The word translated 'I earnestly testify' carries the sense of a solemn, public declaration, often made with an appeal to a higher authority or witnesses, emphasizing the gravity and importance of the statement.
- the:The term used here for 'the' (referring to 'elect angels') implies a chosen or selected group, set apart for a specific purpose or status, rather than just a general descriptor.
- apart from:The word translated 'apart from' (or 'without prejudice') refers to a judgment made beforehand, without full consideration of the facts, indicating a preconceived opinion or bias.
1TI 5:22
- do lay:The phrase 'do lay' (referring to hands) implies a deliberate and significant action of placing hands upon someone, often in a formal or ritualistic context, such as ordination or blessing.