Discovery Box1 Timothy 4:14 
Context4:14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift you have, 1 given to you and confirmed by prophetic words 2 when the elders laid hands on you. 3
1 Timothy 6:12
Context6:12 Compete well 4 for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession 5 for 6 in the presence of many witnesses.
1 tn Grk “in you.”
2 tn Grk “which was given to you through prophecy.” Here as in 2:15 the preposition “through” denotes not “means” but accompanying circumstances: “accompanied by prophecy.”
sn These prophetic words perhaps spoke of what God would do through Timothy in his ministry (cf. 1 Tim 1:18).
3 tn Grk “with the imposition of the hands of the presbytery” (i.e., the council of elders).
4 tn This phrase literally means “compete in the good competition of the faith,” using words that may refer to a race or to a boxing or wrestling match: “run the good race” or “fight the good fight.” The similar phrase in 1 Tim 1:18 uses a military picture and is more literally “war the good warfare.”
5 sn At some point in Timothy’s life, he publicly acknowledged Jesus as the resurrected Lord, perhaps either at his baptism or his ordination as a minister of the gospel. With this reminder of the historical moment of his good confession, Timothy is encouraged to remain steadfast in his faith and to finish his life as a minister in the same way it began (see G. W. Knight, Pastoral Epistles [NIGTC], 264-65).
6 tn Grk “confessed the good confession.”
