1 Timothy 4:16
in 1 Timothy 4Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee.
KJV
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
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This verse in 1 Timothy 4
Commentary
11 notes on this verseI think not that I counted trivial counsel concerning continence; following it, a man will not repent thereof, but will save both himself and me who counselled. [1 Timothy 4:16] For it is no small reward to turn back a wandering and perishing soul for …
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. …
"Take heed," he says, "unto thyself, and unto the doctrine: continue in them." That is, take heed to thyself, and teach others also. "For in so doing thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." It is well said, "Thou shalt save thyself." For he that is "nourished up in the words of sound doctrine," first receives the benefit of it himself. From admonishing others, he is touched with compunction himself. For these things are not said to Timothy only, but to all. And if such advice is addressed to him, who raised the dead, what shall be said to us? Christ also shows the duty of teachers, when He says, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto an householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old." And the blessed Paul gives the same advice, that "we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." This he practiced above all men, being brought up in the law of his fathers, at the feet of Gamaliel, whence he would afterwards naturally apply to reading: for he who exhorted others would himself first follow the advice he gave. Hence we find him continually appealing to the testimony of the prophets, and searching into their writings. Paul then applies to reading, for it is no slight advantage that is to be reaped from the Scriptures. But we are indolent, and we hear with carelessness and indifference. What punishment do we not deserve!
A commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
proposed
[Syncletica] also said, 'It is dangerous for a man to try teaching before he is trained in the good life. A man whose house is about to fall down may invite travellers inside to refresh them, but instead they will be hurt in the collapse …
The Medieval Church2 voices
That is, be attentive to yourself and teach others. He who nourishes himself with the words of teaching first benefits himself, because in teaching others, he also moves himself to compunction. …
These things he should do because of the reward he expects. Hence he adds, take heed to yourself and to doctrine. For some attend to doctrine so much that they neglect themselves; but the Apostle tells him to attend to himself first, and then to …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Take heed unto thyself,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Take heed unto thyself - See that the life of God remains and the work of God prospers in thine own soul. Take heed to thy doctrine, that the matter be pure and orthodox; that thou teach nothing for truth but what God has revealed. Continue in them - i.e., In taking heed to thyself and to thy doctrine; for this must be thy continual study.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
This verse is a summary of 1Ti 4:12. continue in them-- (2Ti 3:14). in doing this--not "by doing this," as though he could save himself by works. thou shalt . . . save thyself, and them that hear thee-- (Eze 33:9; In performing faithfully his duty to others, the minister is promoting his own salvation.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Take heed unto thyself - This may be understood as relating to everything of a personal nature that would qualify him for his work. It may be applied to personal piety; to health; to manners; to habits of living; to temper; to the ruling purposes; to the contact with others. In relation to personal religion, a minister should take heed: (1) That he has true piety; and, (2) That he is advancing in the knowledge and love of God. In relation to morals, he should be upright; to his contact with others, and his personal habits, he should be correct, consistent, and gentlemanly, so as to give needless offence to none. The person of a minister should be neat and cleanly; his manners such as will show the fair influence of religion on his temper and deportment; his style of conversation such as will be an example to the old and the young, and such as will not offend against the proper laws of courtesy and urbanity. There is no religion in a filthy person; in uncouth manners; in an inconvenient and strange form of apparel; in bad grammar, and in slovenly habits - and to be a real gentleman should be as much a matter of conscience with a minister of the gospel as to be a real Christian. Indeed, under the full and fair influence of the gospel, the one always implies the other. Religion refines the manners - it does not corrupt them; it makes one courteous, polite, and kind - it never produces boorish manners, or habits that give offence to the well-bred and the refined. And unto the doctrine - The kind of teaching which you give, or to your public instructions. The meaning is, that he should hold and teach only the truth. He was to “take heed” to the whole business of public instruction; that is, both to the matter and the manner. […]
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἔπεχε | epeche | do give heed | G1907 → | |
| σεαυτῷ | seauto | to yourself | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τῇ | tea | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| διδασκαλίᾳ· | didaskalia | teaching; | G1319 → | 21 times |
| ἐπίμενε | epimene | do continue | G1961 → | |
| αὐτοῖς· | autois | in them; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ποιῶν | poion | doing | G4160 → | 569 times |
| καὶ | kai | both | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| σεαυτὸν | seauton | yourself | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| σώσεις | soseis | you will save | G4982 → | 105 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τοὺς | tous | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀκούοντάς | akouontas | hearing | G191 → | |
| σου.¶ | sou | you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ἔπεχεdo give heed
epecheG1907 →
σεαυτῷto yourself
seautoG4771 →2973 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τῇto the
teaG3588 →19766 times
διδασκαλίᾳ·teaching;
didaskaliaG1319 →21 times
ἐπίμενεdo continue
epimeneG1961 →
αὐτοῖς·in them;
autoisG846 →5565 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ποιῶνdoing
poionG4160 →569 times
καὶboth
kaiG2532 →9120 times
σεαυτὸνyourself
seautonG4771 →2973 times
σώσειςyou will save
soseisG4982 →105 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τοὺςthose
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἀκούοντάςhearing
akouontasG191 →
σου.¶you.
souG4771 →2973 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
Titus 2:7In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,
it leads to
- 1 Peter 5:3
not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
- 1 Timothy 4:12
Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
- 2 Corinthians 4:2
Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to…
- Philippians 1:10
so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
- 1 Peter 5:3
Through
Titus 1:9He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 2:15
Therefore, brothers, stand firm and cling to the traditions we taught you, whether by speech or by letter.
- 2 Timothy 1:13
Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching you have heard from me, with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Timothy 6:3
If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching,
- 1 Timothy 1:10
for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching
- 2 Thessalonians 2:15
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Timothy
This page draws on 12 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); Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks; 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; Pseudo-Clement, Second Epistle To The Corinthians (Pseudo-Clement); Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Timothy and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Timothy.