1 Timothy 5:24

Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.

Two kinds of sins:

(1) Those palpably notorious (so prodeeloi (G4271), "open beforehand;" Hebrews 7:14, "evident;" literally, 'before' the eyes) further explained as "going before to judgment;" and

(2) Those which follow after the men ("some men they (i:e., their sins) follow after," as a shadow following the body) - namely, not going beforehand, lowly accusing, but hidden until the judgment: so 1 Timothy 5:25, the good works are of two classes: those palpably manifest ('manifest beforehand'), and those "that are otherwise" - i:e., not palpably manifest.

Both alike "cannot be hid" the former class, the bad and good, are manifest already; the latter, in the case of both, are not manifest now, but shall be so at the last judgment.

Going before to judgment - as heralds: crying sins, which accuse their perpetrator. The connection is: He had enjoined Timothy (1 Timothy 5:20), 'rebuke them that sin before all;' and (1 Timothy 5:22), "neither be partaker of other men's sins," by ordaining ungodly men; having, by a digression at "keep thyself pure," guarded against an error of Timothy in fancying purity consisted in asceticism, and having exhorted him to use wine for strengthening him, he returns to his being vigorous as an overseer in rebuking sin, whether in presbyters or people, and in avoiding participation in men's sins by ordaining ungodly candidates. He says, therefore, there are two classes of sins, as thee are two classes of good works: those palpably manifest and those not so; the former are those on which thou shouldest act decidedly at once, when it is needful to rebuke in general, or to ordain ministers in particular: as to the latter, the final judgment alone can decide; however hidden now, they "cannot be hid" then. This could only be said of the final judgment (1 Corinthians 4:5 therefore, Alford's reference to Timothy's judgment in choosing elders is wrong): all judgments before then are fallible. Timothy can only be responsible if he connive at manifest sins; not that those that are otherwise shall escape judgment at last: just as in good works, he can only be responsible for taking into account in his judgments those patent to all; not those secret good works which nevertheless will not remain hidden at the final judgment.