1 Timothy 4:6
in 1 Timothy 4By pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of faith and sound instruction that you have followed.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If thou put the brethren in mind of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which thou hast followed until now:
KJV
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
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This verse in 1 Timothy 4
Commentary
11 notes on this verseVirtues and vices are the food of the soul, which can feed on either one, turning to whichever one it wants to. If it is bent toward moral excellence, it will be fed by virtue—by righteousness, temperance, meekness, endurance. In other words, it's just as St. Paul says, "being nourished by the word of truth." That's the way it was with our Lord, who said, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me."
This site's exposition
By pointing out these things to the brothers
By pointing out these things to the brothers, Timothy will be a good servant of Christ Jesus. Nourished by the words of faith and sound instruction pictures him feeding on the truth he serves to others.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Having laid these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Jesus Christ, nourished by the words of faith and good doctrine which you have followed. these things. What things? Those concerning the mystery, those concerning the heresies, those concerning foods, which …
"If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shall be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained." What are the things here meant? The same which he had before mentioned, that "great is the mystery"; that to abstain from meats is the doctrine of devils, that they are "cleansed by the word of God and prayer." "Putting them in remembrance," he says; here you observe no authority; but all is condescension: he does not say "commanding" or "enjoining," but reminding them: that is, suggest these things as matter of advice, and so enter into discourses with them concerning the faith, "being nourished up," he says, meaning to imply constancy in application to these things. For as we set before us day by day this bodily nourishment, so he means, let us be continually receiving discourses concerning the faith, and ever be nourished with them. What is this, "being nourished up"? Ruminating upon them; attending ever to the same things, and practicing ever the same, for it is no common nourishment that they supply. "Put them in remembrance of these things, meditate upon these things," for by the expression, "nourished up in the words of faith and sound doctrine," is implied that he should not only recommend these things to others, but himself practice them. For he says, "Nourished up in the words of faith, and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. But refuse profane and old wives' fables." Why does he not say, abstain from them, but "refuse"? He thus intimates that they should be utterly rejected. His meaning is, that he should not enter into any disputation with the teachers of them, but recommend to his own people the things prescribed above. […]
The Medieval Church2 voices
"These things" – what exactly? That there is a "great... mystery" (1 Tim. 3:16), that to abstain in such a way from marriage and foods is a matter of demons, and the rest of what the apostle said above. And what does "putting in remembrance" …
Above, he rejected superstitious abstinence from goods; here he commands Timothy to propose this teaching to the brethren: first, he shows what he should propose; second, what he should avoid, at but avoid foolish and old wives' fables. In regard to the first he proposes …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. We have here a prophecy of the apostasy of the latter times, which he had spoken of as a thing expected and taken for granted among Christians, 2 Thess. ii .
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:29w-of-58
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
If thou put . . . in remembrance--rather as Greek, "If thou suggest to (bring under the notice of) the brethren," &c. these things--namely, the truths stated in 1Ti 4:4, 5, in opposition to the errors foretold, 1Ti 4:1-3. minister--"servant." nourished up--The Greek is present, not past: "continually being nourished in" (2Ti 1:5;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things - Show the Church that, even now, there is danger of this apostasy; put them on their guard against it; for the forewarned are half armed. Schoettgen supposes from this verse that what is spoken above refers to the Jews alone; and that there is no reference here to a Church which in after ages might apostatize from, or corrupt, the true doctrine of our Lord and Savior. Bishop Newton and others are of a different opinion. See at the end of this chapter.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things - Of the truths just stated. They are, therefore, proper subjects to preach upon. It is the duty of the ministry to show to the people of their charge what “is” error and where it may be apprehended, and to caution them to avoid it. Nourished up in the words of faith - That is, you will be then “a good minister of Jesus Christ, as becomes one who has been nourished up in the words of faith, or trained up in the doctrines of religion.” The apostle evidently designs to remind Timothy of the manner in which he had been trained, and to show him how he might act in accordance with that. From one who had been thus educated, it was reasonable to expect that he would be a faithful and exemplary minister of the gospel. Whereunto thou hast attained - The word used here means, properly, to accompany side by side; to follow closely; to follow out, trace, or examine. It is rendered “shall follow,” in Mat 16:17; “having had understanding,” in Luk 1:3; and “hast fully known,” in 2Ti 3:10. It does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. The meaning here seems to be, that Timothy had followed out the doctrines in which he had been trained to their legitimate results; he had accurately seen and understood their bearing, as leading him to embrace the Christian religion. His early training in the Scriptures of the Old Testament 2Ti 1:5; 2Ti 3:15, he had now fully carried out, by embracing the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, and by evincing the proper results of the early teaching which he had received in connection with that religion. If he now followed the directions of the apostle, he would be a minister of the Lord Jesus, worthy of the attainments in religious knowledge which he had made, and of the expectations which had been formed of him. […]
The words behind it
20 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 |
| ὑποτιθέμενος | hupotithemenos | laying before | G5294 → | |
| τοῖς | tois | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφοῖς | adelphois | brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| καλὸς | kalos | good | G2570 → | 101 times |
| ἔσῃ | ese | you will be | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| διάκονος | diakonos | a servant | G1249 → | 29 times |
| Χριστοῦ | christou | of Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| Ἰησοῦ | iesou | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| ἐντρεφόμενος | entrephomenos | being nourished | G1789 → | |
| τοῖς | tois | in the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγοις | logois | words | G3056 → | 329 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πίστεως | pisteos | faith | G4102 → | 242 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καλῆς | kales | good | G2570 → | 101 times |
| διδασκαλίας | didaskalias | teaching | G1319 → | 21 times |
| ᾗ | he | that | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| παρηκολούθηκας· | parekolouthekas | you have closely followed; | G3877 → |
ΤαῦταThese things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
ὑποτιθέμενοςlaying before
hupotithemenosG5294 →
τοῖςthe
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφοῖςbrothers
adelphoisG80 →343 times
καλὸςgood
kalosG2570 →101 times
ἔσῃyou will be
eseG1510 →2333 times
διάκονοςa servant
diakonosG1249 →29 times
Χριστοῦof Christ
christouG5547 →523 times
ἸησοῦJesus
iesouG2424 →908 times
ἐντρεφόμενοςbeing nourished
entrephomenosG1789 →
τοῖςin the
toisG3588 →19766 times
λόγοιςwords
logoisG3056 →329 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
πίστεωςfaith
pisteosG4102 →242 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
καλῆςgood
kalesG2570 →101 times
διδασκαλίαςteaching
didaskaliasG1319 →21 times
ᾗthat
heG3739 →1405 times
παρηκολούθηκας·you have closely followed;
parekolouthekasG3877 →
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
Colossians 3:16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to…
it leads to
- Psalms 119:11
I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.
- Ephesians 5:19
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord,
- John 15:7
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
- Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
- Jeremiah 15:16
Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.
- Psalms 119:11
Through
Colossians 4:7Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord.
it leads to
- Ephesians 6:21–23
Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know about me and what I am doing.
- 2 Timothy 4:12
Tychicus, however, I have sent to Ephesus.
- Acts 20:4
Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.
- Ephesians 6:21–23
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 on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Athanasius of Alexandria, FESTAL LETTERS 1.5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Timothy 12; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Timothy and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Timothy.