1 Timothy 4:15
in 1 Timothy 4Be diligent in these matters and absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Be diligent in these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy progress may be manifest unto all.
KJV
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
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This verse in 1 Timothy 4
Commentary
12 notes on this verseIf he is making prayer to the Lord, he is near heaven. If he is bending over the Scriptures, he is "wholly in them." If he is singing a psalm, he satisfies himself.
This site's exposition
Be diligent in these matters
on 1 Timothy 4:15-16
Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching states the letter's balance in one line. By so doing Timothy will save both himself and those who hear him, the teacher's walk and teaching standing together.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Study these things; give yourself entirely to them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine; continue in them. For by doing this, you will save both yourself and those who hear you. Study these things. …
"Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them." Observe how often he gives him counsel concerning the same things, thus showing that a teacher ought above all things to be attentive to these points.
"That thy profiting may appear," he says, "to all." Thus he would have him appear great and admirable in this respect also, showing that this was still necessary for him, for he wished that his "profiting should appear" not only in his life, but in the word of doctrine.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says, meditate upon these things, he shows how he should fulfill what has been commanded, namely, that he continually meditate upon the things which pertain to his office: they watch as being to render an account of your souls (Heb 13:17). Meditate, …
He frequently instructs him on the same things, wishing to show that a bishop must above all strive for this. Not only in life, but also in the word of teaching. See how he desires him to be great and admirable even in this. …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
True meditation is no other than faith, hope, love, joy, melted down together, as it were, by the fire of God's Holy Spirit; and offered up to God in secret. He that is wholly in these, will be little in worldly company, in other studies, in collecting books, medals, or butterflies: wherein many pastors drone away so considerable a part of their lives.
Meditate on these things,.... Not only on those instructions, advices, and exhortations, which the apostle had given him, throughout this chapter, which might be very useful to him, often to think of, and revolve in his mind, and seriously consider and reflect upon; but upon the Scriptures, the reading of which he had recommended to him, and the doctrines contained therein; it becomes every man not only to read, but meditate on the word of God, and much more ministers of the Gospel.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Meditate upon these things - Upon the train of events by which you have been led into the ministry, and upon the responsibilites and duties of the office. Let your mind be deeply impressed with these things; make them the subject of profound and serious thought. Give thyself wholly to them - Greek “Be in them” - a phrase similar to that of Horace - “totus in illis.” The meaning is plain. He was to devote his life wholly to this work. He was to have no other grand aim of living.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The minister must be first his own scholar before he can be another's teacher. profiting--Greek, "progress" towards perfection in the Christian life, and especially towards the fullest realization of the ideal of a Christian minister (1Ti 4:12). may appear to all--not for thy glory, but for the winning of souls (Mt 5:16).
Meditate upon these things - Ταυτα μελετα· Revolve them frequently in thy mind; consider deeply their nature and importance; get them deeply fastened in thy heart, and let all thy conduct flow from this inward feeling and conviction. Let the nature, reasons, and motives of thy ministry, be ever in the view of thy heart and conscience. Give thyself wholly to them - Εν τουτοις ισθι· Be thou in these things. Horace has a similar expression: Omnis in hoc sum. “I am absorbed in this.” Occupy thyself wholly with them; make them not only thy chief but thy sole concern. Thou art called to save thy own soul, and the souls of them that hear thee; and God has given thee the Divine gifts for this and no other purpose. To this let all thy reading and study be directed; this is thy great business, and thou must perform it as the servant and steward of the Lord. Bengel has a good saying on this verse, which I will quote: In his qui est, minus erit in sodalitatibus mundanis, in studiis alienis, in colligendis libris, conchis, nummis, quibus multi pastores notabilem aetatis partem insistentes conterunt; “He who is wholly in these things will be little in worldly company, in foreign studies, in collecting books, shells, and coins, in which many ministers consume a principal part of their life.” Such persons are worthy of the deepest reprehension, unless all these studies, collections, etc., be formed with the express view, of illustrating the sacred records; and to such awful drudgery few Christian ministers are called. Many, when they have made such collections, seem to know nothing of their use; they only see them and show them, but can never bring them to their assistance in the work of the ministry. […]
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ταῦτα | tauta | These things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| μελέτα, | meleta | do ponder, | G3191 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τούτοις | toutois | them | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἴσθι, | isthi | do be absorbed, | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| σου | sou | your | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἡ | he | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| προκοπὴ | prokope | progress | G4297 → | |
| φανερὰ | phanera | evident | G5318 → | |
| ᾖ | e | may be | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| πᾶσιν. | pasin | all. | G3956 → | 1235 times |
ταῦταThese things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
μελέτα,do ponder,
meletaG3191 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τούτοιςthem
toutoisG3778 →1381 times
ἴσθι,do be absorbed,
isthiG1510 →2333 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
σουyour
souG4771 →2973 times
ἡ<the>
heG3588 →19766 times
προκοπὴprogress
prokopeG4297 →
φανερὰevident
phaneraG5318 →
ᾖmay be
eG1510 →2333 times
πᾶσιν.all.
pasinG3956 →1235 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 5:16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:12
Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
- Titus 2:7
In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,
- John 15:8
This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.
- 1 John 1:5–7
And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
- Philippians 2:15–16
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
- 1 Peter 2:12
Through
Psalms 104:34May my meditation be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the LORD.
it leads to
- Psalms 1:2
But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Habakkuk 3:17–18
Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold…
- Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
- Psalms 1:2
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Timothy
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Timothy 13; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY; Tertullian, On Exhortation to Chastity; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Timothy and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Timothy.