Timothy Most of the Bible’s references to Timothy arise out of his close connection with Paul. The relationship between the two was such that Paul called Timothy his son, and spoke often of his love for Timothy and Timothy’s devotion to him (1 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 1:2-20; 1 Timothy 1:18).
Fitted for service
Timothy was born of a Greek father and a Jewish mother, and was brought up to know God. This was largely because his mother and grandmother taught him the Bible (Acts 16:1; 2 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:14-15). He apparently first came in contact with Paul when Paul moved through the Galatian towns of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe on his first missionary journey (2 Timothy 1:3-11; cf. Acts 1:13-15:22). At that time Timothy was probably only a teenager.
by the time Paul passed through the Galatian towns again three years later, Timothy had so grown in his Christian life that Paul decided to take him as his assistant (Acts 1:16-3). In this he had the backing of Timothy’s home churches, whose leaders publicly acknowledged Timothy’s spiritual gifts (1 Timothy 4:14). At this time Paul had Timothy circumcised, in the hope that this would gain acceptance for Timothy in the Jewish communities they wanted to reach with the gospel (Acts 16:3).
Timothy was not of naturally bold or forceful character. For this reason Paul repeatedly urged him to be more confident. Often Paul gave him tasks that would develop courage and win him greater respect throughout the churches (1 Corinthians 1:16-11; 1 Timothy 1:3; 1 Timothy 4:12-16; 2 Timothy 1:1-8; 2 Timothy 4:1-2).
Missionary travels
After travelling with Paul through Troas, Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea to Athens, Timothy was entrusted with his first individual mission. Paul sent him back to Thessalonica to help the young church. The report that Timothy brought to Paul provided the basis for Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians (Acts 17:15; 1 Thessalonians 1:3-2,6). by this time Paul was in Corinth, and Timothy helped in the preaching there (2 Corinthians 1:19).
During Paul’s three-year stay in Ephesus (on his third missionary journey), Timothy was sent through Macedonia to Corinth, where he had to deal with serious disorders in the church (Acts 19:22; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 16:10). In due course he returned to Ephesus, and later accompanied Paul to Macedonia, from where Paul wrote the letter known as 2 Corinthians (2 Corinthians 1:1). He was still with Paul when Paul wrote to the Romans from Corinth (Romans 16:21). A short time later he was among the group of leading Christians who gathered in Troas to go with Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 1:20-6).
In Palestine Paul was imprisoned for two years (Acts 24:27). After that he was sent to Rome, where he was held prisoner for another two years (Acts 28:16,30). The letters that Paul wrote during this time indicate that Timothy was with him in Rome (Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; Philem 1). Upon his release, Paul set sail again, one of his travelling companions being Timothy. Upon coming to Ephesus, they found the church there troubled by false teaching. When Paul had to leave for Macedonia, he left Timothy behind in Ephesus. From Macedonia Paul then wrote a letter to Timothy to encourage him in his difficult work (1 Timothy 1:3).
Some time after this, the Roman authorities arrested Paul and took him to Rome again. He knew that this time he faced execution, and wrote once more to Timothy, asking him to come to Rome quickly (2 Timothy 1:4-9). It is not known whether Timothy reached Rome before Paul was executed, but it is known that later Timothy himself was imprisoned for a time, then released (Hebrews 13:23). (See also Timothy, LETTERS TO.)