1 Timothy 1:3-11

1 Timothy 1:3-11

[3] As  I besought  to abide still  at  Ephesus,  when I went  into  Macedonia,  that  thou mightest charge  some  no  other doctrine,  [4] Neither  give heed  to fables  and  endless  genealogies,  which  minister  questions,  rather  than  godly  which  is in  faith:  [5] Now  the end  of the commandment  charity  out of  a pure  heart,  and  of a good  conscience,  and  of faith  unfeigned:  [6] From which  some  having swerved  have turned aside  unto  vain jangling;  [7] Desiring  teachers of the law;  understanding  neither  what  they say,  nor  whereof  they affirm.  [8] But  we know  that  the law  is good,  if  a man  use  it  lawfully;  [9] Knowing  that  the law  not  made  for a righteous man,  but  for the lawless  and  disobedient,  for the ungodly  and  for sinners,  for unholy  and  profane,  for murderers of fathers  and  murderers of mothers,  for manslayers,  [10] For whoremongers,  for them that defile themselves with mankind,  for menstealers,  for liars,  for perjured persons,  and  other thing  that is contrary  to sound  doctrine;  [11] According  to the glorious  gospel  of the blessed  God,  which  my  trust. 

What does 1 Timothy 1:3-11 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Paul penned these opening words to remind Timothy to correct teachers in the Ephesian church who were majoring on minor matters in their Bible teaching. In so doing he reminded Timothy of his own responsibility as a communicator of God"s truth.
"That the false teachers were ... probably elders [1] is supported by several items from1Timothy: their presuming to be "teachers of the law" ( 1 Timothy 1:7), a responsibility of the elders ( 1 Timothy 5:17; cf. 1 Timothy 3:2); the fact that two are named and excommunicated by Paul ( 1 Timothy 1:19-20), not by the church as in 2 Thessalonians 3:14 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-5; and the repeated concern about elders in this letter, both as to their qualifications-with no mention of duties-in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and their discipline and apparent replacement in 1 Timothy 5:19-25." [2]