Section 6:11–21

Paul gave Timothy some final instructions

Paragraph 6:11–16

In this paragraph, Paul told Timothy some specific ways that he should behave. He gave him four main instructions:

(a) to “pursue…perseverance” (6:11c, 6:11e)

(b) to “fight the good fight of the faith” (6:12a)

(c) to “take hold of…eternal life” (6:12b)

(d) to “keep this commandment…until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ” (6:14a, 6:14c)

6:11a

But you: Paul began this verse with an emphatic pronoun you(sing) along with the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But. He used these words to introduce a contrast. He had described those who wanted to become rich and therefore eventually wandered from the faith (6:3–10). Now he described the way that Timothy should behave (6:11–16).

O man of God: Paul called Timothy man of God. There are two ways to understand this:

(1) Paul meant that Timothy was a Christian and that he was someone who belonged to God and desired to behave as God wanted him to behave. For example, the NET Bible says:

a person dedicated to God

(NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Contemporary English Version)

(2) Paul was using the words man of God in a special sense to say that Timothy was like a prophet. This is what the expression man of God meant in the Old Testament. For example, Moses (Deuteronomy 33:1), Samuel (1 Samuel 9), Elijah (1 Kings 17:18) and others were called by this title.

Most English versions translate this phrase literally. If you wish to follow one of the above interpretations in your translation, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Paul called Timothy man of God to highlight that he was commanding Timothy to behave in a way that showed that he belonged to God. This expression is used in 2 Timothy 3:17 as a general term for a believer.

6:11b

flee: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as flee literally means “to run away from.” But here Paul used it in a figurative way to mean “avoid” or “stay away from.” People “avoid” or flee from danger. In the same way, Paul wanted Timothy to avoid behaving in the ways mentioned in 6:3–10.

these things: Paul was talking about the issues that he had discussed in the previous verses: all the ways in which people might sin when they want to become rich.

6:11c

pursue righteousness, godliness: This is also a figure of speech. In some languages a verb like pursue can only be used with an animate object like a person or an animal. It is not possible to pursue something like righteousness or the other qualities in this list (6:11c–e). People use all their physical energy when they chase after someone or something. Paul meant that Timothy should use all his effort to behave in these ways.

righteousness: This is the first of six qualities that Paul told Timothy to pursue. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as righteousness refers to doing things that God considers right.

godliness: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as godliness refers to the way people behave when they respect God.

6:11d

love: In this verse, Paul was probably talking about love for other people rather than love for God. (Knight, page 262, says, “Where, however, Paul indicates or implies the object of love, it is most often human beings.