Bible Strands
1 Timothy 2:1
First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone—
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul writes to Timothy, his young pastor in Ephesus, giving instructions on how the assembled church should pray. This opens a section on order in worship (2:1–8).
The words — παρακαλῶ (parakalō, "I exhort") is the verb of pastoral urgency, not a casual suggestion. παντῶν (pantōn, "of all") marks the scope as universal—no one is excluded from the prayer list.
The thread — The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9) models the posture; James 5:16 ties mutual prayer to healing; 2 Thessalonians 1:3 treats thanksgiving as a standing obligation.
Why it lands — It requires praying for people you may not know, may disagree with, or may even oppose. The command is practical: widen the prayer list until it covers everyone, then do it.
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
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
Cross-references
- 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are obligated to thank God for you all the time, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, and your love for one another is increasing.
- Matthew 6:9 So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
- James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
- Psalms 67:1 For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Psalm. A song. May God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, Selah
- Ephesians 5:20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 Timothy 2:4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- Titus 3:2 to malign no one, and to be peaceable and gentle, showing full consideration to everyone.
- 2 Timothy 2:24 And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.
- 1 Kings 8:41 And as for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of Your name—
- Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world.