to hold upon · verb — present active imperative, 2nd person singular
thyself
σεαυτοῦseautoû
G4572
of (with
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
doctrine
διδασκαλίᾳ·didaskalia
G1319
instruction (the function or the information) · noun — dative singular feminine
in
ἐπίμενεepimene
G1961
to stay over · verb — present active imperative, 2nd person singular
them
αὐτοῖς·autois
G846
the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — dative plural neuter
for
γὰρgar
G1063
properly · conjunction
doing
ποιῶνpoiōn
G4160
to make or do (in a very wide application · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
this
τοῦτοtoûto
G5124
that thing
shalt
σώσειςsōseis
G4982
to save · verb — future active indicative, 2nd person singular
both
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
save
σώζωsṓzō
G4982
to save
thyself
σεαυτοῦseautoû
G4572
of (with
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
hear
ἀκούοντάςakouontas
G191
to hear (in various senses) · verb — present active participle, accusative plural masculine
thee
σοῦsoû
G4675
of thee
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
2 John 1:8-9 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But…
Ezekiel 33:7-9 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them fr…
Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it…
Acts 20:26-28 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
1 Chronicles 28:10 Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 4:6–end
The apostle would have Timothy to instil into the minds of Christians such sentiments as might prevent their being seduced by the judaizing teachers. Observe, Those are good ministers of Jesus Christ who are diligent in their work; not that study to advance new notions, but that put the brethren in remembrance of those things which they have received and heard. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though you knew them, Pe2 1:12. And elsewhere, I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, Pe2 3:1. And, says the apostle Jude, I will therefore put you in remembrance, Jde 1:5. You see that the apostles and apostolical men reckoned it a main part…
Take heed--Give heed (Act 3:5).
thyself, and . . . doctrine--"and unto thy teaching." The two requisites of a good pastor: His teaching will be of no avail unless his own life accord with it; and his own purity of life is not enough unless he be diligent in teaching [CALVIN]. This verse is a summary of Ti1 4:12.
continue in them-- (Ti2 3:14).
in doing this--not "by doing this," as though he could save himself by works.
thou shalt . . . save thyself, and them that hear thee-- (Eze 33:9; Jam 5:20). In performing faithfully his duty to others, the minister is promoting his own salvation. Indeed he cannot "give heed unto the teaching" of others, unless he be at the same time "giving heed…
Take heed unto thyself - See that the life of God remains and the work of God prospers in thine own soul. Take heed to thy doctrine, that the matter be pure and orthodox; that thou teach nothing for truth but what God has revealed.
Continue in them - i.e., In taking heed to thyself and to thy doctrine; for this must be thy continual study. Without this, the Divine influence shall recede from thy heart, and the Divine gift from thy intellect; and, like Samson shorn of his strength, thou wilt soon become as another man, as any common man; thy power will depart from thee, and thou shalt be no longer able to persuade; the Unction shall depart from thee, and, destitute of spiritual feeling thysel…
The Church Fathers
I think not that I counted trivial counsel concerning continence; following it, a man will not repent thereof, but will save both himself and me who counselled. [1 Timothy 4:16] For it is no small reward to turn back a wandering and perishing soul for its salvation. [James 5:19-25]
[Syncletica] also said, 'It is dangerous for a man to try teaching before he is trained in the good life. A man whose house is about to fall down may invite travellers inside to refresh them, but instead they will be hurt in the collapse of the house. It is the same with teachers who have not carefully trained themselves in the good life; they destroy their hearers as well as themselves. Their mouth invites to salvation, their way of life leads to ruin.'
"Take heed," he says, "unto thyself, and unto the doctrine: continue in them." That is, take heed to thyself, and teach others also. "For in so doing thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." It is well said, "Thou shalt save thyself." For he that is "nourished up in the words of sound doctrine," first receives the benefit of it himself. From admonishing others, he is touched with compunction himself. For these things are not said to Timothy only, but to all. And if such advice is addressed to him, who raised the dead, what shall be said to us? Christ also shows the duty of teachers, when He says, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto an householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old." And the blessed Paul gives the same advice, that "we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." This he practiced above all men, being brought up in the law of his fathers, at the feet of Gamaliel, whence he would afterwards naturally apply to reading: for he who exhorted others would himself first follow the advice he gave. Hence we find him continually appealing to the testimony of the prophets, and searching into their writings. Paul then applies to reading, for it is no slight advantage that is to be reaped from the Scriptures. But we are indolent, and we hear with carelessness and indifference. What punishment do we not deserve!
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Commandments · PRECEPTS OF PAUL. EXPLICITLY STATED OR IMPLIED IN DIDACTIC EPISTLES — PRECEPTS OF PAUL. EXPLICITLY STATED OR IMPLIED IN DIDACTIC EPISTLES
Doctrines Of The Gospel, The · Ministers should: Attend to — Ministers should: Attend to
Ministers · Should preach: With heedfulness — Should preach: With heedfulness
Watchfulness · 4:2,17; — 4:2,17;
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
Take heed unto thyself,.... Not as a man, or a Christian only, but as a minister; and as every minister should take heed to his life and conversation, that it be exemplary, as in 1 Timothy 4:12 to his gifts, that they be not lost, or neglected, but used and improved; to the errors and heresies abroad, that he be not infected with them; and to his flock, which is the other part of himself, that he feed it with knowledge and understanding: and to thy doctrine: preached by him, that it be according to the Scriptures, be the doctrine of Christ, and his apostles, and according to godliness; that it tend to edification, and is pure, incorrupt, and all of a piece; and that it be expressed in the be…
11. These things command and teach.
11. Praecipe haec et doce.
12. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in sermon, in conversations, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
12. Nemo tuam juventutem despiciat; sed esto exemplar fidelium, in sermone, in conversatione, in caritate, in spiritu, in fide, in castitate.
13. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
13. Donec venio, attende lectioni, exhortationi, doctrinae.
14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
14. Ne donum, quod in te est, negligas, quod tibi dat…
laid their hands on you: The gesture signified recognition, authorization, and blessing (see Acts 13:1-3; 6:6). This was probably the same event as in 2 Tim 1:6-7 (see 1 Tim 1:18; cp. Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:7-11; Eph 4:7-13). Paul’s ministry and that of his delegates was under the authority of the church.
