1 Timothy 1:3-7 New English Translation

Timothy’s Task in Ephesus

³As I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus to instruct^[a] certain people not to spread false teachings,^[b] ⁴nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies.^[c] Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan^[d] that operates by faith. ⁵But the aim of our instruction^[e] is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.^[f] ⁶Some have strayed from these and turned away to empty discussion. ⁷They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or the things they insist on so confidently.^[g]

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Footnotes

1 Timothy 1:3 tn This word implies authoritative instruction: “direct, command, give orders” (cf. 1 Tim 4:11; 5:7; 6:13, 17). See BDAG 760 s.v. παραγγέλλω.
1 Timothy 1:3 tn Grk “to teach other doctrines,” different from apostolic teaching (cf. 1 Tim 6:3).
1 Timothy 1:4 sn Myths and interminable genealogies. These myths were legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 4:7; 2 Tim 4:4; and Titus 1:14. They were perhaps built by speculation from the patriarchal narratives in the OT; hence the connection with genealogies and with wanting to be teachers of the law (v. 7).
1 Timothy 1:4 tc A few Western mss (D* latt Ir) read οἰκοδομήν (oikodomēn, “[God’s] edification”) rather than οἰκονομίαν (oikonomian, “[God’s] redemptive plan”), which is read by the earliest and best witnesses.tn More literally, “the administration of God that is by faith.”sn God’s redemptive plan. The basic word (οἰκονομία, oikonomia) denotes the work of a household steward or manager or the arrangement under which he works: “household management.” As a theological term it is used of the order or arrangement by which God brings redemption through Christ (God’s “dispensation, plan of salvation” [Eph 1:10; 3:9]) or of human responsibility to pass on the message of that salvation (“stewardship, commission” [1 Cor 9:17; Eph 3:2; Col 1:25]). Here the former is in view (see the summary of God’s plan in 1 Tim 2:3-6; 2 Tim 1:9-10; Titus 3:4-7), and Paul notes the response people must make to God’s arrangement: It is “in faith” or “by faith.”
1 Timothy 1:5 tn Grk “the instruction,” referring to orthodox Christian teaching and ministry in general, in contrast to that of the false teachers mentioned in 1:3-4.
1 Timothy 1:5 tn Grk “love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
1 Timothy 1:7 tn The Greek reinforces this negation: “understand neither what they are saying nor the things they insist on…”

New English Translation (NET)