that you keep the commandment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Parallel Translations
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that you keep the commandment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
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that thou kepe the commaundement and be with out spotte and vnrebukeable vntyll the apperynge of oure lorde Iesus Christ
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That thou keepe this commandement without spot, and vnrebukeable, vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ,
Cross-references (26)
Passages linked to 1 Timothy 6:14 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Peter 3:14 Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, be diligent to be found in peace, without defect and blameless in his sight.
- 1 Peter 1:7 that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ—
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Philippians 1:10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ,
- Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
- Hebrews 9:28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him for salvation.
- Jude 1:24 Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,
- 1 Chronicles 28:9-10 You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. Take heed now; for Yahweh has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it.”
- Song of Solomon 4:7 You are all beautiful, my love. There is no spot in you.
- 1 Corinthians 1:8 who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Colossians 1:22 yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him,
- 2 Thessalonians 2:8 Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming;
- 1 Timothy 4:11-16 Command and teach these things. Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. Until I come, pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching. Don’t neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders. Be diligent in these things. Give yourself wholly to them, that your progress may be revealed to all. Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
- 2 Timothy 4:1 I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom:
- Hebrews 9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
- Revelation 1:7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
- 1 Chronicles 28:20 David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed; for Yahweh God, even my God, is with you. He will not fail you, nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of Yahweh’s house is finished.
- Ephesians 5:27 that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect.
- Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
- Philippians 2:15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
- Colossians 4:17 Tell Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it.”
- 1 Thessalonians 3:13 to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you
- 1 Timothy 6:20 Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of what is falsely called knowledge,
- 1 Peter 1:19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ,
- 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 14 That thou, keep the commandment. By the word…
14 That thou, keep the commandment. By the word commandment he means all that he hath hitherto said about the office of Timothy, the sum of which was, that he should show himself to be a faithful minister to Christ and to the Church. What is the use of extending this to the whole law? But perhaps it will be thought preferable to view it as denoting the office which he had received by divine authority; for we are appointed to be ministers of the Church on no other condition than this, that God enjoins upon us whatever he wishes us to do. Thus to “keep the commandment” would be nothing else than to discharge honestly the office committed to him. I certainly view it as referring altogether to the ministry of Timothy.
Spotless and unblameable Whether we consider the case or the termination of the two Greek adjectives which are thus translated, they may apply either to the commandment given, or to the person of Timothy; but the meaning which I have assigned is much more appropriate. Paul informs Timothy, that he must he wish to discharge his office in a proper manner.
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Till the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ It is impossible to tell how necessary it was to all the godly, at that time, to have their mind entirely fixed on the day of Christ; because innumerable offenses existed everywhere in the world. They were assailed on every hand, were universally hated and abhorred, were exposed to the mockeries of all, were oppressed every day with new calamities; and yet they saw no fruit of so many toils and annoyances. What then remained, but that in thought they should fly away to that blessed day of our redemption?
Yet the same reason is in force with regard to us in the present day, and indeed applies equally to almost every age. How many things does Satan constantly present to our eyes, which, but for this, would a thousand times draw us aside from the right course! I say nothing about fires, and swords, and banishments, and all time furious attacks of enemies. I say nothing about slanders and other vexations. How many things are within, that are far worse! Ambitious men openly attack us, Epicureans and Lucianists jeer at us, impudent men provoke us, hypocrites murmur at us, they who are wise after the flesh secretly bite us, we are harassed by various methods in every direction. In short, it is a great miracle that any man perseveres steadfastly in an office so difficult and so dangerous. The only remedy for all these difficulties is, to cast our eyes towards the appearing of Christ, and to keep them fixed on it continually.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable,…
14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Ver. 14. Without spot] Of foul sins, Deu 32:5.
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Unrebukeable] So as no just exception can be laid against thee for allowance of lesser evils.
Until the appearing] επιφανειαν. Illustrem illum adventure, as Beza renders it; the bright, clear, or radiant appearing. St Paul would have Timothy so carry himself as if Christ should then come, and to remit nothing of his zeal, though he should live till that time.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The charge is, that he faithfully perform all the…
The charge is, that he faithfully perform all the duties belonging to him as a Christian and a minister, commissioned from God, in the whole course of his life, that he may not be liable to a just accusation for the neglect of any part of his office. This is enforced by the consideration of the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, that is, in the day of judgment, as the following words make evident. Yet the apostle seems to speak of it, as if Timothy should continue in his ministry till that appearance. But it is manifest by his cautionlug the Thessalonians against that false conceit, 2Th 2:2,3, that the apostle knew the contrary; for he assures them that that day should not come till many great things enumerated by him should be accomplished. The meaning therefore of the words
until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the same with our Saviour’s command to the angel of the church of Smyrna: Be thou faithful unto death, Rev 2:10; for the whole flux of time from the death of any person till the day of judgment makes no alteration in his life; and consequently, whoever is faithful unto the death is so till the appearing of Christ. And there is no motive more powerful to a zealous and faithful discharge of our duty, no excitation more rousing from the security and carelessness of the flesh, than the serious believing consideration of the glorious reward to be dispersed by our Saviour to his faithful servants in that day, and the dreadful condemnation that shall pass upon those who have been careless and negligent in the sacred ministry.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain That thou keep this commandment,.... Meaning either what he…
That thou keep this commandment,.... Meaning either what he had now last of all enjoined him, to fight the good fight of faith; or the whole of the orders he had given him throughout the epistle, relating both to the doctrine and discipline of the house of God; or rather the work and office of preaching the Gospel, which was committed to him by the Holy Ghost, and enjoined him by the commandment of the everlasting God: and this the apostle, before God and Christ, charges him to observe and keep, in the following manner,
without spot, and unrebukeable; the sense is, that he would discharge his ministerial function with all faithfulness and purity; that he would sincerely, and without any adulteration, preach the pure Gospel of Christ; and that he would so behave in his life and conversation, that his ministry might not be justly blamed by men, or he be rebuked by the church here, or by Christ hereafter: and this he would have him do,
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until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; to judge the quick and dead at the last day, and which will be very illustrious and glorious. Now Christ is hid from the eyes of men, but to them that look for him he will appear a second time in great glory; in the glory of his Father, and of his own, and of the holy angels; and when his saints will appear with him in glory: and this the apostle the rather mentions, since every man's work and ministry will then be made manifest; this bright day of Christ's appearing will declare it, and everyone must give an account of himself, and his talents, unto him: and this shows that the apostle did not design this charge, and these instructions, for Timothy only, but for all other ministers of the Gospel, till the second coming of Christ; though this was then, as now, so much unknown, when it would be, that it could not be said but Timothy might live unto it.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 14. That thou keep this commandment without spot]…
Verse 14. That thou keep this commandment without spot] Two things are mentioned here:
1. That the commandment itself - the whole doctrine of Christ, should be kept entire.
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2. That his life should be agreeable to that doctrine. Keep it without spot - let there be no blot on the sacred book; add nothing to it; take nothing from it; change nothing in it. Deliver down to thy successors the truth as thou hast had it from God himself.
Unrebukable] Let there be nothing in thy conduct or spirit contrary to this truth. Keep the truth, and the truth will keep thee.
Until the appearing of our Lord] Hand it down pure, and let thy conduct be a comment on it, that it may continue in the world and in the Church till the coming of Christ.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain That thou keep this commandment - Referring particularly to…
That thou keep this commandment - Referring particularly to the solemn injunction which he had just given him, to “fight the good fight of faith,” but perhaps also including all that he had enjoined on him.
Without spot - It seems harsh, and is unusual, to apply the epithet, “without spot” - ἄσπιλος aspilos - to a command or doctrine, and the passage may be so construed that this may be understood as referring to Timothy himself - “That thou keep the commandment so that thou mayest be without spot and unrebukable.” See Bloomfield, Crit. Dig., in loc. The word here rendered “without spot,” occurs in the New Testament only here and in Jam 1:27; 1Pe 1:19; 2Pe 3:14. It means without any “stain” or “blemish; pure.” If applied here to Timothy, it means that he should so keep the command that there would be no stain on his moral character; if to the doctrine, that that should be kept pure.
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Unrebukable - So that there be no occasion for reproach or reproof; see notes on Phi 2:15.
Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ - see notes on 1Th 2:19; 1Th 4:16; 1Th 5:23.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain That thou keep the commandment. Some understand that of…
That thou keep the commandment. Some understand that of fighting manfully; others of loving God; others rather comprehend all that St. Paul had commanded him, and all the instructions given. --- Unto the coming of our Lord;[9] which coming, he in due time will shew. This is the construction by the Greek. (Witham) --- This coming will be desirable for Christians who have preserved or recovered their baptismal innocence, and for pastors who have faithfully fulfilled their ministry; but terrible, in the extreme, for all who have lived in the constant neglect and omission of their duties.
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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]
Usque ad Adventum Domini, quem, &c. Greek: mechri tes epiphaneias...en, not Greek: on, and so must agree with adventum.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain keep this commandment--Greek, "the commandment," that is, the Gospel…
keep this commandment--Greek, "the commandment," that is, the Gospel rule of life (Ti1 1:5; Joh 13:34; Pe2 2:21; Pe2 3:2).
without spot, unrebukeable--agreeing with "thou." Keep the commandment and so be without spot," &c. "Pure" (Ti1 5:22; Eph 5:27; Jam 1:27; Pe2 3:14).
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until the appearing of . . . Christ--His coming in person (Th2 2:8; Tit 2:13). Believers then used in their practice to set before themselves the day of Christ as near at hand; we, the hour of death [BENGEL]. The fact has in all ages of the Church been certain, the time as uncertain to Paul, as it is to us; hence, Ti1 6:15, he says, "in HIS times": the Church's true attitude is that of continual expectation of her Lord's return (Co1 1:8; Phi 1:6, Phi 1:10).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 14. This commandment—Greek, not this, but the.
14. This commandment—Greek, not this, but the.
Commandment—A different word from that in 1Ti_1:5, yet designating the same thing, namely, the law in the gospel; the commandment to live the life of faith and holiness. Of that commandment to men Timothy is the depositary and holder; he has it in charge; and he must keep it without spot, so that it be stainless and unrebukable, above all reproach.
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The appearing—The epiphany. See note on 2Th_2:2.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 14. that thou keep this commandment] the commandment; this…
14. that thou keep this commandment] the commandment; this phrase in the singular or plural (as indicated above, 1Ti_6:13) specially characterises St John’s first epistle and is closely linked with the confession of the true Christ: and the commandment there is ‘love’: see e.g. 1Jn_3:23. Again St Paul here, in 1Ti_6:13-14, ‘I charge thee’ &c. Is clearly recurring to ‘the charge’ of 1Ti_1:5, ‘the end’ of which is ‘love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned.’ We have therefore no difficulty as to ‘the commandment’ here.
without spot, unrebukeable] Both words used of persons only in N.T., elsewhere of things; the latter has occurred 1Ti_3:2 and 1Ti_5:7, and so A.V. apparently here refers them to Timothy; R.V. alters, giving the alliter ation and leaving open the question whether they agree with the subject or the object without spot, without reproach. The early Greek interpreters take them with ‘commandment,’ which on the whole the construction favours.
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the appearing of our Lord] At His second Advent; lit. ‘the Epiphany.’ After use in the Apostle’s earliest letters, 2Th_2:8, which dealt directly with the subject, the word has been dormant till now; now in each of the latest letters (here and Tit_2:13 and 2Ti_4:1; 2Ti_4:8) it shines out, as is so natural after the 15 years that have made an old man of him:—‘Surely the world too is growing old; Timothy may see His coming: yet let it be its own time—no nearer, no further.’
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (14) That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable.—Here…
(14) That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable.—Here St. Paul specifies what was the charge he was commending in such earnest, solemn language to his disciple and representative at Ephesus. It was that he should keep the commandment without spot, unrebukeable. The commandment was the teaching of Jesus Christ, the gospel message, that was to be proclaimed in all its fulness; and that this might be done effectually it was needful that the life of its preacher should be without flaw—blameless; in other words, it was absolutely requisite that the chief pastor in Ephesus should live the life he preached. There were those (the false teachers of whom he had been speaking, well known to Timothy) whose lives had dishonoured the glorious commandment they professed to love and teach.
Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.—The speedy return of the Lord in glory was, no doubt, looked for in the Church of the first days. The expressions of 1Th_4:15-18 evidently were written at a time when the second advent of Messiah was looked on as probably near at hand. By slow degrees—as one great teacher of the first days after the other fell asleep in Jesus, and the first generation of believers was rapidly passing away, and no fresh sign of the coming in glory was manifested—the strong expressions used in the first fervour which succeeded the Pentecost morning began to be qualified, as in this Epistle, written far on in St. Paul’s life, by words which seemed to say to Timothy: “Keep the Master’s commandment pure and blameless till the hour of that glorious Epiphany which your eyes will possibly behold.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain The for this, A.V without reproach for unrebukable, A.V…
The for this, A.V without reproach for unrebukable, A.V The commandment (thn ejntolhn). The phrase is peculiar, and must have some special meaning. Perhaps, as Bishop Wordsworth expounds it, "the commandment" is that law of faith and duty to which Timothy vowed obedience at his baptism, and is parallel to "the good confession." Some think that the command given in vers. 11, 12 is referred to; and this is the meaning of the A.V "this." Without spot, without reproach. There is a difference of opinion among commentators, whether these two adjectives (aspilon ajnepilhpton) belong to the commandment or to the person, i.e. Timothy. The introduction of se after thrhsai; the facts that thrhsai talav, without any addition, means "to keep the commandments," and that in the New Testament, aspilov and ajnepilhptov always are used of persons, not things (Jam_1:27; 1Pe_1:19; 2Pe_3:14; 1Ti_3:2, 1Ti_5:7) and the consideration that the idea of the person being found blameless in, or kept blameless unto, the coming of Christ. is a frequent one in the Epistles (Jude 2Pe_3:14; 1Co_1:8; Col_1:22; 1Th_3:13 1Th_5:23) seem to point strongly, if not conclusively, to the adjectives aspilon and ajnepilhpton here agreeing with se, not with ejntolhn. The appearing (than). The thought of the second advent of the Lord Jesus, always prominent in the mind of St. Paul (1Co_1:7, 8 4:5 15:23; Col_3:4; 1Th_3:13 1Th_4:5; 2Th_1:9, etc.) seems to have acquired fresh intensity amidst the troubles and dangers of the closing years of his life, both as an object of hope and as a motive of action. (2Ti_1:10 2Ti_2:12 2Ti_4:1, 2Ti_4:8; Tit_2:13)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 14. That thou keep the commandment. Not one only,…
14. That thou keep the commandment. Not one only, but the will of Christ. Until the appearing. The language seems to imply a feeling that Christ would come in Timothy's time; at any rate Timothy is to keep that in view.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 6:14 until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again (literally…
6:14 until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again (literally until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ): Christ’s comings, both past (2 Tim 1:10; Titus 2:11) and future (2 Tim 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13), are described in the letters to Timothy and Titus as “epiphanies” or “appearances.” An epiphany is a divine intervention in a particular historical moment. The church is positioned between these past and future appearances of Christ. Christ’s first, saving epiphany made possible a new life; his future epiphany will achieve final salvation. Though the present is evil (the “last times,” 1 Tim 4:1-3; 2 Tim 3:1-9), our anticipation of Christ’s appearance creates accountability for living a godly life in the present. By contrast, the false teachers advocated sinful behaviors because they assumed the resurrection had already occurred (2 Tim 2:18). In response, Paul makes clear that salvation has begun but is not yet complete. The conduct of God’s household requires responsible living in the light of Christ’s past, present, and future saving work (1 Tim 3:15-16; Titus 2:11-14).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.