Timothy

Life and work

Timothy was from Lystra, in the region of Galatia. His mother, Eunice, was a Jewish believer, and his father was Greek (Acts 16:1); Paul later commends the 'sincere faith' passed down to Timothy through his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). When Paul returned to Lystra on his second missionary journey and found Timothy well spoken of by the believers there, he wanted to take him along — and had him circumcised first, so that he wouldn't be an offense to the Jews they'd encounter, since it was known his father was Greek (Acts 16:1-3).

From that point Timothy became one of Paul's most constant companions, traveling with him through much of the second and third missionary journeys and appearing as a co-sender in several of Paul's letters (2 Corinthians 1:1, Philippians 1:1, Colossians 1:1, 1 & 2 Thessalonians 1:1). Paul repeatedly entrusted him with sensitive missions to churches in crisis, sending him to Thessalonica to strengthen a persecuted congregation (1 Thessalonians 3:1-6) and to Corinth to remind believers there of Paul's teaching amid conflict (1 Corinthians 4:17, 16:10-11).

Paul's affection for him is unusually direct: 'I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare... Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel' (Philippians 2:20-22). Two New Testament letters, 1 and 2 Timothy, are addressed to him directly, instructing him in his role leading the church at Ephesus and warning him, notably, not to let anyone look down on him for his youth (1 Timothy 4:12).

Dating

Paul's protégé, raised in the faith by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois (2 Timothy 1:5), and still notably young well into his ministry (1 Timothy 4:12), suggesting a birth in the AD 20s-30s. Later tradition makes him bishop of Ephesus and has him martyred there under Domitian or Nerva, clubbed to death by a mob during a pagan festival — a tradition preserved only in later sources, so held more loosely than his well-documented years alongside Paul.

Extra-biblical evidence

No contemporary extra-biblical source records Timothy; everything known about him comes from Acts and Paul's letters.

Scripture references

• Acts 16:1-3 — Introduced; Paul has him circumcised before traveling
• Philippians 2:19-22 — Paul's strong personal praise of him
• 2 Timothy 1:5 — His faith traced to his grandmother and mother
• 1 Timothy 4:12 — Told not to let anyone look down on his youth

Further reading

• Encyclopaedia Britannica: Saint Timothy

Reflect

Paul told young, timid Timothy not to let anyone despise his youth — where do you hold back because you feel unqualified?