Summary of the Book of 1 Timothy

The book of 1st Timothy is a Pastoral Epistle (letter from Paul to a church leader). The author is Paul who wrote it approximately 62 A.D.

The key personalities are the Apostle Paul and Timothy. It was written to give encouragement and leadership guidelines to a young pastor named Timothy at the church in Ephesus.

Chapter 1 – begins with a greeting to Timothy, then quickly turns to a warning against false teachings, and an emphasis on correct beliefs. Paul encourages him to “fight the good fight” (vs. 18).

Chapters 2-4 – Paul declares that God desires salvation for everyone,

“Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (2:4).

Paul then teaches that,

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (2:5).

Next, Paul lays some important guidelines and principles for church leadership. He taught the controversial subject of women in the church and what the two offices of leadership in the church were to be, the Overseer and the Deacon.

He even taught some of the practices that should be carried out in the church such as,

“Till I come, give attention to the reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (4:13).

Chapter 5-6 – Paul gives guidelines for relationships within the church as he explains how to deal with discipline and care for widows. He gives advice of how to minister and lays more guidelines for the wealthy instructing them to be generous.

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (6:17).