Bible Strands
1 Timothy 1:2
To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul writes to Timothy as he prepares to depart for Macedonia, instructing him to remain in Ephesus to correct false teaching. The opening address establishes Paul’s apostolic authority and Timothy’s role before detailing his pastoral task.
The words — The Greek term γνησίῳ (gnēsiō) literally means "true" or "genuine," modifying τέκνῳ (teknō), "child." Paul follows this with χάρις (charis), "grace," ἔλεος (eleos), "mercy," and εἰρήνη (eirēnē), "peace," as the blessing he extends.
The thread — This greeting pattern appears in Titus 1:4, where Paul addresses Titus as his "true child in our common faith," and in 2 Timothy 1:2, where he calls Timothy his "beloved child." The grace-mercy-peace sequence also anchors his other epistolary openings.
Why it lands — The text states that grace, mercy, and peace originate from God the Father and Christ Jesus, grounding Timothy’s ministry in divine provision. The reader is asked to accept that pastoral authority and instruction depend on this blessing rather than human qualification.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
Cross-references
- Titus 1:4 To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
- 2 Timothy 1:2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 4:14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.
- Philippians 2:19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I learn how you are doing.
- Acts 16:1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father.
- Romans 1:7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2 Timothy 2:1 You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Peter 1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
- Galatians 1:3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
- 1 Timothy 1:18 Timothy, my child, I entrust you with this command in keeping with the previous prophecies about you, so that by them you may fight the good fight,