Discovery Box1 Timothy 1:18 
Context1:18 I put this charge 1 before you, Timothy my child, in keeping with the prophecies once spoken about you, 2 in order that with such encouragement 3 you may fight the good fight.
1 Timothy 3:7
Context3:7 And he must be well thought of by 4 those outside the faith, 5 so that he may not fall into disgrace and be caught by the devil’s trap. 6
1 Timothy 5:16
Context5:16 If a believing woman 7 has widows in her family, 8 let her help them. The church should not be burdened, so that it may help the widows who are truly in need. 9
1 sn This charge refers to the task Paul described to Timothy in vv. 3-7 above.
2 sn The prophecies once spoken about you were apparently spoken at Timothy’s ordination (cf. 1 Tim 4:14) and perhaps spoke of what God would do through him. Thus they can encourage him in his work, as the next clause says.
3 tn Grk “that by them you might fight…” (a reference to the prophecies which can encourage him in his work).
4 tn Or “have a good reputation with”; Grk “have a good testimony from.”
5 tn Grk “the ones outside.”
6 tn Or “be trapped like the devil was”; Grk “fall into the trap of the devil.” The parallel in 2 Tim 2:26 supports the rendering given in the text.
7 tc Most witnesses (D Ψ Ï sy) have πιστὸς ἤ (pisto" h) before πιστή (pisth), with the resultant meaning “if a believing man or woman.” But such looks to be a motivated reading, perhaps to bring some parity to the responsibilities of men and women listed here, and as a way of harmonizing with v. 4. Further, most of the earliest and best witnesses (א A C F G P 048 33 81 1175 1739 1881 co) lack the πιστὸς ἤ, strengthening the preference for the shorter reading.
8 tn Grk “has widows.”
9 tn Grk “the real widows,” “those who are really widows.”
