1 Timothy 6:14
in 1 Timothy 6Keep this commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
that thou keep the commandment, without spot, without reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
KJV
That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
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This verse in 1 Timothy 6
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThat thou keep this commandment without spot - Two things are mentioned here: 1. That the commandment itself - the whole doctrine of Christ, should be kept entire. 2. That his life should be agreeable to that doctrine. Keep it without spot - let there be no blot on the sacred book; add nothing to it; take nothing from it; change nothing in it. Deliver down to thy successors the truth as thou hast had it from God himself. Unrebukable - Let there be nothing in thy conduct or spirit contrary to this truth.
This site's exposition
before Pontius Pilate
on 1 Timothy 6:13-16
The charge is given before God and Christ Jesus, who made the good confession before Pontius Pilate at the trial of John 18 and 19. It holds until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, the timing kept in the Father's hand as at Acts 1:7.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and Christ Jesus, who testified before Pontius Pilate the good confession, to keep the commandment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Again Paul makes God a witness, both increasing …
Similarly, concerning Onesiphorus, does he also write to Timothy: "The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy in that day; " unto which day and time he charges Timothy himself "to keep what had been committed to his care, without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ: which in His times He shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords," speaking of (Him as) God It is to these same times that Peter in the Acts refers, when he says: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets.
"That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." That is, till thy end, thy departure hence, though he does not so express it, but that he may the more arouse him, says, "till His appearing." But what is "to keep the commandment without spot"? To contract no defilement, either of doctrine or of life.
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 1 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The commandments of God are irreproachable, because they contain nothing unjust. "I command you before God, who gives life to all things, that you keep the commandment without stain, irreproachable."
That is, so that neither in dogmas nor in life would you stain yourself with anything. That is, until your death, until your departure. However, he did not say it that way, but said: "even until the appearing," in order to encourage him more, reminding …
4 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Likewise, he commends the order, because in itself it is just and right and irreproachable: you shall not find iniquity in my tongue (Job 6:30). But how long are these words in vogue? Unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The unto specifies the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
That thou keep this commandment,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
keep this commandment--Greek, "the commandment," that is, the Gospel rule of life (1Ti 1:5; 3:2). without spot, unrebukeable--agreeing with "thou." Keep the commandment and so be without spot," &c.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+odd-straight-quotes
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
That thou keep this commandment - Referring particularly to the solemn injunction which he had just given him, to “fight the good fight of faith,” but perhaps also including all that he had enjoined on him. Without spot - It seems harsh, and is unusual, to apply the epithet, “without spot” - ἄσπιλος aspilos - to a command or doctrine, and the passage may be so construed that this may be understood as referring to Timothy himself - “That thou keep the commandment so that thou mayest be without spot and unrebukable.” See Bloomfield, Crit. Dig., in loc. The word here rendered “without spot,” occurs in the New Testament only here and in Jas 1:27; 1Pe 1:19; 2Pe 3:14. It means without any “stain” or “blemish; pure.” If applied here to Timothy, it means that he should so keep the command that there would be no stain on his moral character; if to the doctrine, that that should be kept pure. Unrebukable - So that there be no occasion for reproach or reproof; see notes on Php 2:15. Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ - see notes on 1Th 2:19; 1Th 4:16; 1Th 5:23.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τηρῆσαί | teresai | to keep | G5083 → | |
| σε | se | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐντολὴν | entolen | commandment | G1785 → | |
| ἄσπιλον, | aspilon | without stain, | G784 → | |
| ἀνεπίλημπτον | anepilempton | above reproach | G423 → | 3 times |
| μέχρι | mechri | until | G3360 → | |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐπιφανείας | epiphaneias | appearing | G2015 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κυρίου | kuriou | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| Ἰησοῦ | iesou | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| Χριστοῦ, | christou | Christ, | G5547 → | 523 times |
τηρῆσαίto keep
teresaiG5083 →
σεyou
seG4771 →2973 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἐντολὴνcommandment
entolenG1785 →
ἄσπιλον,without stain,
aspilonG784 →
ἀνεπίλημπτονabove reproach
anepilemptonG423 →3 times
μέχριuntil
mechriG3360 →
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἐπιφανείαςappearing
epiphaneiasG2015 →
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
κυρίουLord
kuriouG2962 →711 times
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ἸησοῦJesus
iesouG2424 →908 times
Χριστοῦ,Christ,
christouG5547 →523 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
1 Thessalonians 5:23Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your entire spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 3:13
so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jude 1:24
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—
- 1 Corinthians 1:8–9
He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:13
Through
Jude 1:24Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:18
And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Ephesians 3:20
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
- Colossians 1:22
But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence—
- 2 Timothy 4:18
Through
1 Peter 1:7so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- Job 23:10
Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
- Job 23:10
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); Bonaventure, Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Timothy 18; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY; Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Timothy and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Timothy.