with absolute purity

The Greek that is translated as “with absolute purity” or similar in English is translated in Matumbi as “with an absolutely clean heart.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)

complete verse (1 Timothy 5:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Timothy 5:2:

  • Uma: “Women whose age is more than yours you treat like your mother. And women who are younger than you, you treat like your younger-sibling, and be careful that your behavior and thinking are holy.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The women older than you, honor/treat-according to custom like your mother. And the young women honor/treat-according-to-custom like your siblings also. Don’t you think differently towards them (desire them).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The women who are old already, advise them also as if they were your mother, and the young women, advise them as if they were your sister. And it’s necessary that your thinking about them is very correct.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As for the women who are older than you (sing.), count them as if (they were) your (sing.) mother, and those also who are younger than you (sing.), as if they were your (sing.) siblings/cousins, with none of your (sing.) thoughts toward them being wrong/undesirable.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Regard as your mother the women who are old (lit. hard) now. Those who are still young, fellowship/be-friendly with them with really no bad-motives in your mind/inner-being because they’re also like your siblings.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning the old women, treat them as though they were your mother. Concerning the young women, treat them as though they were your sisters, but all that is good you do.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 5:2

Here two other groups are mentioned: older women and younger women. The structure is parallel to that of verse 1 and in fact continues the idea found there. Timothy is exhorted to treat these older women as if they were his own mother, and the younger women as if they were his own sisters.

In all purity is attached at the end of the sentence and describes the way in which Timothy ought to deal with the women, particularly the younger ones. Purity is the same word used in 4.12. Here it very probably refers to being free from any immoral acts, especially acts related to sex. So other ways of expressing in all purity are “with a pure heart,” “with a heart free from immoral thoughts,” or even “not thinking or doing anything immoral toward them [the older and younger women].” In some languages it will be helpful to begin a new sentence with verse 2; for example, “You should treat (or, act toward) the older women just as if they were your own mother, and treat (or, act toward) younger women just as if they were your own sister. Do this with a pure heart.”

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 Timothy 5:2

5:2a

Again there is no verb in this part of the verse. If you need to supply a verb, you should probably use the same verb as you used in 5:1c.

older women as mothers: Paul wanted Timothy to treat older women in a way that showed that he respected and loved them. In other words, he wanted Timothy to speak to such women as though they were his own mother.

5:2b

As in 5:1c and 5:2a, there is no verb in this part of the verse. If you need to supply a verb, you should probably use the same verb as you used in 5:1c.

younger women as sisters: To treat a younger woman as a sister meant to honor and protect her.

5:2c

with absolute purity: In this context the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as with absolute purity means that Timothy was to avoid any sort of sexual sin when dealing with older or younger women. This included his thoughts and intentions toward these people as well as his actions.

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