The Meaning of 1 Timothy 6:13 Explained

1 Timothy 6:13

KJV: I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

YLT: I charge thee, before God, who is making all things alive, and of Christ Jesus, who did testify before Pontius Pilate the right profession,

Darby: I enjoin thee before God who preserves all things in life, and Christ Jesus who witnessed before Pontius Pilate the good confession,

ASV: I charge thee in the sight of God, who giveth life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed the good confession;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I give  thee  charge  in the sight  of God,  who  quickeneth  all things,  and  [before] Christ  Jesus,  who  before  Pontius  Pilate  witnessed  a good  confession; 

What does 1 Timothy 6:13 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Timothy 6:11-21 - "fight The Good Fight Of The Faith"
The poor need not envy the rich. Wealth makes no difference in the audit of eternity. A man cannot eat more than a certain amount of food, and wear more than a certain amount of clothing. If we have enough why envy others? The true wealth of life is in self-renunciation and beneficence. How different from the money-grabber is the man of God who flees such things, and follows after righteousness, who fights the good fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil, and who never flinches from witnessing the good witness. If we suffer here with Jesus, we shall share in the glory of His manifestation. Notice the wealth of the Apostle's ascription to Jesus! Here is life in its spring, light at its source, power and authority in their original fountain. Let us claim these blessings and enthrone them in our lives.
The charge to the rich is eminently sound. We must set our hope not on the attainment of fleeting things, but in God who loves to give and see His children happy. We hold all that we have, that we may be God's channels of communication to others. What we hoard we lose, what we give away we store. The life which is life indeed can be acquired only through death and self-giving [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Timothy 6

1  Of the duty of servants
3  Not to have fellowship with newfangled teachers
6  Godliness is great gain;
10  and love of money the root of all evil
11  What Timothy is to flee, and what to follow
17  and whereof to admonish the rich
20  To keep the purity of true doctrine, and to avoid godless ideas

Greek Commentary for 1 Timothy 6:13

Who quickeneth all things [του ζωογονουντος τα παντα]
Present active participle of ζωογονεω — zōogoneō (ζωογονος — zōogonos from ζωοσ γενω — zōosεπι Ποντιου Πειλατου — genō), late word to give life, to bring forth alive, in N.T. only here and Acts 7:19. See 1 Samuel 2:6. [source]
Before Pontius Pilate [μαρτυρησαντος]
Not “in the time of,” but “in the presence of.” Witnessed (μαρτυρεω — marturēsantos). Note ομολογεω — martureō not homologeō as in 1 Timothy 6:12. Christ gave his evidence as a witness to the Kingdom of God. Evidently Paul knew some of the facts that appear in John 18. [source]
Witnessed [μαρτυρεω]
Note ομολογεω — martureō not homologeō as in 1 Timothy 6:12. Christ gave his evidence as a witness to the Kingdom of God. Evidently Paul knew some of the facts that appear in John 18. [source]
Quickeneth [ζωογονοῦντος]
oP. Rend. who preserveth alive. Quickeneth is according to the reading ζωοποιοῦντος makethalive. Comp. lxx, Exodus 1:17; Judges 8:19. This association of God as the preserver with confession is noteworthy in Matthew 10:28-33. [source]
Witnessed a good confession [μαρτυρήσαντος τὴν καλὴν ὁμολογίαν]
Letter, the or his good confession. The phrase is unique. The good confession is the historical confession of Jesus before Pilate, which is the warrant for the truthfulness of Timothy's confession. Christ is called “the faithful and true witness ” ( μάρτυς ), Revelation 1:5; Revelation 3:14. It is true that μάρτυς was used very early of those who laid down their lives for the truth (see Acts 22:20; Revelation 2:13), and Polycarp speaks of τὸ μαρτύριον τοῦ σταυροῦ thewitness of the cross (Phil. vii.); but this did not become general until after the end of the second century. [source]
Before Pontius Pilate []
The mention of Pontius Pilate in connection with the crucifixion is of constant occurrence in early Christian writings. See Ignatius, Magn. xi; Tral. ix; Smyrn. i. It has been supposed that these words were taken from a liturgical confession in which the Christian faith was professed. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Timothy 6:13

Luke 17:33 Shall preserve it [ζωογονησει αυτην]
Or save it alive. Here only in the N.T. except 1 Timothy 6:13; Acts 7:19. It is a late word and common in medical writers, to bring forth alive (ζωοσ γενω — zōos genō) and here to keep alive. [source]
John 18:37 Was I born - came I [γεγέννημαι - ἐλήλυθα]
Both perfects. Have I been born - am I come. So Rev. The Greek order is I for this have been born, etc., throwing the emphasis on Christ's person and destiny. The perfect describes His birth and coming not merely as historical facts, but as abiding in their results. Compare this confession before Pilate (1 Timothy 6:13) with the corresponding confession before the high-priest (Matthew 26:64). “The one, addressed to the Jews, is framed in the language of prophecy; the other, addressed to a Roman, appeals to the universal testimony of conscience. The one speaks of a future manifestation of glory, the other speaking of a present manifestation of truth. The one looks forward to the Return, the other looks backward to the Incarnation” (Westcott). [source]
John 18:37 Art thou a king then? [ουκουν βασιλευς ει συ]
Compound of ουκ — ouk and ουν — oun and is clearly ironical expecting an affirmative answer, only here in the N.T., and in lxx only in A text in 2Kings 5:23. Thou sayest that In Matthew 27:11; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:3, συ λεγεις — su legeis clearly means “yes,” as συ ειπας — su eipas (thou saidst) does in Matthew 26:64 (= “I am,” εγω ειμι — egō eimi in Mark 14:62). Hence here οτι — hoti had best be taken to mean “because”: “Yes, because I am a king.” Have I been born Perfect passive indicative of γενναω — gennaō The Incarnation was for this purpose. Note repetition of εις τουτο — eis touto (for this purpose), explained by ινα μαρτυρησω τηι αλητειαι — hina marturēsō tēi alētheiāi (that I may bear witness to the truth), ινα — hina with first aorist active subjunctive of μαρτυρεω — martureō Paul (1 Timothy 6:13) alludes to this good confession when Christ bore witness (μαρτυρησαντος — marturēsantos) before Pilate. Jesus bore such witness always (John 3:11, John 3:32; John 7:7; John 8:14; Revelation 1:5). [source]
Acts 7:19 To the end they might not live [εις το μη ζωογονεισται]
Purpose with εις — eis and the articular infinitive (present middle). This compound verb is from ζωογονος — zōogonos (from ζωος — zōos alive, and γενω — genō to bear) and is used by late writers and the lxx. It is three times in the N.T. (here, Luke 17:33; 1 Timothy 6:13) in the sense to preserve alive. [source]
Acts 7:19 That they should cast out their babes [του ποιειν τα βρεπη εκτετα]
Του ποιειν — Tou poiein (genitive of the articular present infinitive) can be either design or result. The Revised Version here takes it as purpose while the Authorized as result. In either case Pharaoh required the Israelites to expose their children to death, a possible practice done voluntarily in heathen China and by heathen in so-called Christian lands. But the Israelites fought against such an iniquity. The word εκτετα — ektheta (exposed, cast out) is a verbal adjective from εκτιτημι — ektithēmi It is an old word, but here only in the N.T. and not in the lxx. To the end they might not live (εις το μη ζωογονεισται — eis to mē zōogoneisthai). Purpose with εις — eis and the articular infinitive (present middle). This compound verb is from ζωογονος — zōogonos (from ζωος — zōos alive, and γενω — genō to bear) and is used by late writers and the lxx. It is three times in the N.T. (here, Luke 17:33; 1 Timothy 6:13) in the sense to preserve alive. [source]
Romans 4:17 Who quickeneth the dead []
This attribute of God is selected with special reference to the circumstances of Abraham as described in Romans 4:18, Romans 4:21. As a formal attribute of God it occurs 1 Samuel 2:6; John 5:21; 2 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Timothy 6:13. [source]
2 Corinthians 9:13 Your professed subjection [ὑποταγῇ τῆς ὁμολογίας ὑμῶν]
A vicious hendiadys. Lit., as Rev., the obedience of your confession; that is, the obedience which results from your christian confession. Ὁμολογία is once rendered in A.V. confession, 1 Timothy 6:13; and elsewhere profession. Both renderings occur in 1 Timothy 6:12, 1 Timothy 6:13. Rev., in every case, confession. A similar variation occurs in the rendering of ὁμολογέω , though in all but five of the twenty-three instances confess is used. Rev. retains profess in Matthew 7:23; Titus 1:16, and changes to confess in 1 Timothy 6:12. In Matthew 14:7, promised (A.V. and Rev., see note), and in Hebrews 13:15, giving thanks; Rev., which make confession. Etymologically, confession is the literal rendering of ὁμολογία , which is from ὁμόν together λέγω tosay; con together, fateor to say. The fundamental idea is that of saying the same thing as another; while profess (pro forth, fateor to say ) is to declare openly. Hence, to profess Christ is to declare Him publicly as our Lord: to confess Christ is to declare agreement with all that He says. When Christ confesses His followers before the world, He makes a declaration in agreement with what is in His heart concerning them. Similarly, when He declares to the wicked “I never knew you” (“then will I profess, ὁμολογήσω ”), a similar agreement between His thought and His declaration is implied. The two ideas run into each other, and the Rev. is right in the few cases in which it retains profess, since confess would be ambiguous. See, for example, Titus 1:16. [source]
1 Timothy 2:5 One God []
These Epistles deal much with the divine attributes. See 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:13, 1 Timothy 6:15, 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Timothy 4:10; 2 Timothy 2:13; Titus 1:2. [source]
1 Timothy 4:10 We labour [κοπιωμεν]
Both Pauline words. Because we have set our hope (οτι ελπικαμεν — hoti elpikamen). Perfect active indicative of ελπιζω — elpizō (Romans 15:12). Saviour of all men See note on 1 Timothy 1:1 for σωτηρ — sōtēr applied to God as here. Not that all men “are saved” in the full sense, but God gives life (1 Timothy 6:13) to all (Acts 17:28). Specially of them that believe (μαλιστα πιστων — malista pistōn). Making a distinction in the kinds of salvation meant. “While God is potentially Saviour of all, He is actually Saviour of the πιστοι — pistoi ” (White). So Jesus is termed “Saviour of the World” (John 4:42). Cf. Galatians 6:10. [source]
1 Timothy 4:10 and strive [και αγωνιζομετα]
Both Pauline words. Because we have set our hope (οτι ελπικαμεν — hoti elpikamen). Perfect active indicative of ελπιζω — elpizō (Romans 15:12). Saviour of all men See note on 1 Timothy 1:1 for σωτηρ — sōtēr applied to God as here. Not that all men “are saved” in the full sense, but God gives life (1 Timothy 6:13) to all (Acts 17:28). Specially of them that believe (μαλιστα πιστων — malista pistōn). Making a distinction in the kinds of salvation meant. “While God is potentially Saviour of all, He is actually Saviour of the πιστοι — pistoi ” (White). So Jesus is termed “Saviour of the World” (John 4:42). Cf. Galatians 6:10. [source]
1 Timothy 4:10 Saviour of all men [σωτηρ παντων αντρωπων]
See note on 1 Timothy 1:1 for σωτηρ — sōtēr applied to God as here. Not that all men “are saved” in the full sense, but God gives life (1 Timothy 6:13) to all (Acts 17:28). Specially of them that believe (μαλιστα πιστων — malista pistōn). Making a distinction in the kinds of salvation meant. “While God is potentially Saviour of all, He is actually Saviour of the πιστοι — pistoi ” (White). So Jesus is termed “Saviour of the World” (John 4:42). Cf. Galatians 6:10. [source]
1 Timothy 6:12 Lay hold on [επιλαβου]
Second (ingressive) aorist middle imperative of επιλαμβανω — epilambanō “get a grip on.” See same verb with genitive also in 1 Timothy 6:19. Thou wast called (εκλητης — eklēthēs). First aorist passive of καλεω — kaleō as in 1 Corinthians 1:9; Colossians 3:15. The good confession Cognate accusative with ωμολογησας — hōmologēsas (first aorist active indicative of ομολογεω — homologeō the public confession in baptism which many witnessed. See it also in 1 Timothy 6:13 of Jesus. [source]
1 Timothy 6:12 The good confession [την καλην ομολογιαν]
Cognate accusative with ωμολογησας — hōmologēsas (first aorist active indicative of ομολογεω — homologeō the public confession in baptism which many witnessed. See it also in 1 Timothy 6:13 of Jesus. [source]
Titus 3:4 Love [φιλανθρωπία]
Love is too vague. It is love toward men; comp. Titus 3:2. Only here and Acts 28:2: φιλανθρώπως kindly, Acts 27:3(note). While it cannot be asserted that the heretical characteristics noted in the Pastoral Epistles point collectively to any specific form of error, it is true, nevertheless, that certain characteristics of the economy of grace are emphasized, which are directly opposed to Gnostic ideas. Thus the exhortation that supplications be made for all men, supported by the statement that God wills that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1, 1 Timothy 2:4), is in the teeth of the Gnostic distinction between men of spirit and men of matter, and of the Gnostic principle that the knowledge ( ἐπίγνωσις ) of truth was only for a limited, intellectual class. To the same effect is the frequent recurrence of all, for all, in connection with the saving and enlightening gifts of God (1 Timothy 2:6; 1 Timothy 4:10; 1 Timothy 6:13; Titus 2:11). So here: not only has the saving grace of God appeared unto all (Titus 2:11), but it has revealed itself as kindness and love to man as man. [source]
Hebrews 12:2 Jesus []
Having presented a long catalogue of witnesses under the old covenant, he now presents Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and the supreme witness. See Revelation 1:5; Revelation 3:14; 1 Timothy 6:13. [source]
Hebrews 10:23 Profession of our faith [τὴν ὁμολογίαν τῆς ἐλπίδος]
Rend. “confession of our hope.” Faith does not appear among Ms. readings. It is an innovation of the translators. Hope is the rendering of Tyndale, Coverdale, the Great Bible, the Geneva, the Bishops', and Rheims. On confession see on 2 Corinthians 9:13, and comp. notes on 1 Timothy 6:12, 1 Timothy 6:13. The phrase confession of hope N.T.oThey are steadfastly to confess their hope in God's promise and salvation. Comp. Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 6:11, Hebrews 6:18; Hebrews 7:19. Hope is here = the object of hope. [source]
Revelation 1:5 Who is the faithful witness [ο μαρτυς ο πιστος]
“The witness the faithful,” nominative in apposition like πρωτοτοκος — prōtotokos and αρχων — archōn with the preceding ablative Ιησου Χριστου — Iēsou Christou with απο — apo a habit of John in this book (apparently on purpose) as in Revelation 2:13, Revelation 2:20; Revelation 3:12, etc. See this same phrase in Revelation 2:13; Revelation 3:14. The use of μαρτυς — martus of Jesus here is probably to the witness (Revelation 1:1) in this book (Revelation 22:16.), not to the witness of Jesus before Pilate (1 Timothy 6:13). [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Timothy 6:13 mean?

I charge you before - God the [One] giving life to all things and Christ Jesus having testified before Pontius Pilate the good confession
Παραγγέλλω ‹σοι› ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζωογονοῦντος τὰ πάντα καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ μαρτυρήσαντος ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου τὴν καλὴν ὁμολογίαν

Παραγγέλλω  I  charge 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: παραγγέλλω  
Sense: to transmit a message along from one to another, to declare, announce.
ἐνώπιον  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐνώπιον  
Sense: in the presence of, before.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
τοῦ  the  [One] 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ζωογονοῦντος  giving  life 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ζῳογονέω  
Sense: to bring forth alive.
πάντα  all  things 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
Χριστοῦ  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
Ἰησοῦ  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
μαρτυρήσαντος  having  testified 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: μαρτυρέω  
Sense: to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration.
ἐπὶ  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
Ποντίου  Pontius 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Πόντιος  
Sense: the sixth Roman procurator of Judah who crucified Christ.
Πιλάτου  Pilate 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Πειλᾶτος 
Sense: the sixth Roman procurator of Judah and Samaria who ordered Christ to be crucified.
καλὴν  good 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: καλός  
Sense: beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable.
ὁμολογίαν  confession 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ὁμολογία  
Sense: profession.