1 Timothy Chapter 5

(Underlining marks a quotation/allusion. [Brackets] mark a textual variant.fnWhen two (or more) different copies of an original manuscript disagree on any given word or phrase — addition, omission, word order, etc. — the disagreement is called a "textual variant". ~99% of existing textual variants are either minor (like spelling), obviously not original (often appearing only in a few late manuscripts), or don't affect meaning (like "Jesus Christ" vs. "Christ Jesus"). The ~1% that remain do not affect any central doctrine of Christianity. The BOS Bible only marks significant textual variants that affect the meaning; smaller variants that do not affect meaning won't be marked for readability.  "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love".  However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings — agapé centers on choice and behavior.  It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings.  (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".)  Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé".  Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing.  It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. An asterisk (*) indicates a verb in the Greek perfect tense.fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)

Glossary

Note: this glossary is currently a work in progress; entries that do not expand will be added as time permits

Ages/of ages
“ages” and “of ages” are the Greek words “αἰών” (aión, noun form) and “αἰώνιος” (aiónios, adjective form) respectively.  The adjective form is typically translated “eternal”, as in “eternal life”. The noun form refers to a whole time period, (Keizer, “Life Time Entirety”) such as a person’s lifetime (an older Greek sense), an age/epoch (e.g., 2 Cor 4:4), or even time in its entirety, making its meaning similar to “forever” (e.g., John 14:16). The adjective form is similarly context-dependent, and the New Testament context often dictates a meaning similar to “forever” (but not always: e.g. 2 Tim 1:9).  Alternately or additionally, it can indicate the quality of a time period — indicating greatness/severity — like the English idiom “of ages” (e.g. “battle of the ages”). Thus, “of ages” was chosen for the adjective form so that both the time and quality senses remain visible.

Clean/unclean

Covenant

Faith

Flesh

Forgive/forgiveness

Grace
The Greek word is “χάρις” (charis), most often translated “grace”, “gift”, or “thanks”. It was a technical term in the 1st century, referring to the Patronage system in place. The Patron (from “pater” = “father”) would give gifts or do favors (both called a charis). A charis was always given/done freely to anyone who would be grateful for it, and this person then became a “client” of the patron. The clients were expected to reciprocate by telling everyone what the patron had done, and offering their services to the patron whenever the patron needed them. This reciprocal act was also called “charis”, and the ones who reciprocated were “being faithful” by giving thanks in this way. Both were done out of gratitude, not legal obligation. A client who wasn’t faithful and grateful probably wouldn’t receive any more charis from his patron, or any other patrons. The patron was responsible for taking care of all his clients, and making sure their needs were met. New Testament usage typically casts God the Father as a Heavenly Patron, to whom Christians should be grateful and faithful because of the gifts He has given us. (e.g. salvation, provision, protection, etc.)

Holy

Justification

Law (Torah)

Make purification

Pure/Impure

Purification offering
In the Old Testament, this is typically the Hebrew “חַטָּ֖את” (khat-tat); in the New Testament, it’s typically “περὶ ἁμαρτίας” (peri hamartias), which is what the Septuagint (an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek) used to translate the Hebrew. It’s traditionally translated “sin offering”, but that translation has less support in high-level scholarship. The Hebrew word can mean “sin”, but it can also mean “purification” (e.g. Numbers 8:7). This offering was used to purify uncleanness, whether or not a sin was committed. Thus, it was required even when no sin was committed, such as after childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8), for certain diseases (Leviticus 14), etc. High-level, peer-reviewed scholarship dedicated to the field (e.g. Milgrom, Levine, Gane, Sklar, Wright, Gorman, etc.) is largely united on the “purification offering” understanding. The BOS Bible has aligned itself with that high-level, peer-reviewed scholarship in its translation.

Ransom

Redemption

Repent/repentance

Righteous/righteousness

Salvation/save

Soul
“soul” is the Greek word “ψυχή/psuché” and Hebrew word “נֶפֶשׁ/nephesh”. The BOS Bible translates these words as “soul” for consistency, and so the full meaning of “soul” isn’t obscured by different translations in different places. They closely overlap in meaning and are typically translated “soul” or “life”. They refer to the animating force of a living thing, and thus can also refer to its life, or to the whole of any person or creature, including animals (e.g. fish in Revelation 8:9 and Genesis 1). They are frequently used as an emphatic reference to a person’s whole self, including longings, deep emotions, and inner life. (e.g. Ps 42:11) Note: while “soul” has significant overlap in meaning with “spirit”, the words have distinct meanings and usages throughout scripture. For example, lions tear apart a soul in Psalm 7:2, and a “dead soul” is mentioned in Leviticus 21:11; “spirit” has no analogous usages, and it returns to God at death (Ecc 12:7; Acts 7:59). The adjective forms of soul and spirit are contrasted in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; see also: Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Sin

Click to Collapse the Glossary
Godly Behavior (Continued)
  1. Don’t rebuke an older man, but appealfn“appeal”, could also be translated “exhort” to him as a father, and to younger men as brothers,
  2. older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters in all purity.
Concerning Widows
  1. Honor widows who are truly widows.
  2. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to be pious to their own household and to give back recompense to their widowed ancestors, for this is acceptable in the sight of God.
  3. Now, the woman who’s truly a widow and has been left alone *hopes in God and continues with petitions and prayers night and day.
  4. But the woman living extravagantly has died while living.
  5. And command these things so they might be above reproach.
  6. But if any man doesn’t provide for his own, and especially for his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
  7. Let a widow be enrolled who’s not less than sixty years old, having *been a wife of one husband
  8. who’s bearing witness in good works, if she brought up children, if she was hospitable to strangers, if she washed the holy ones‘ feet, if she gave aid to those being oppressed, if she pursued every good work.
  9. But refuse to enroll younger widows.  For when their sensual desires grow contrary to the Anointed, they want to marry,
  10. incurring judgement because they cast aside their first faith.
  11. And at the same time, they also learn to be lazy, going about to various houses.  And they’re not only lazy, but also foolish babblers and meddling busybodies saying improper things.
  12. Therefore, I’m resolved that younger women are to marry, to bear children, to manage their households, and to give the one opposing us no opportunity for slander on their account.
  13. For some of these women already turned away after Satan.
  14. If any believing woman has dependent widows, let her give aid to them and don’t let the church assembly be burdened, so the church assembly might give aid to those who are truly widows.
Concerning Elders and Various Instructions
  1. Let the elders who *lead well be deemed worthy of double honor, especially the men laboriously toiling in the word and in teaching.
  2. For the scripture says: “You shall not muzzle an ox while it’s treading out grain.”fnquotation/allusion to Deuteronomy 25:4 And: “The workman is worthy of his wage.”fn“The workman is worthy of his wage.” Isn’t a quotation/allusion of any specific verse in the Old Testament, but it’s direct quote of Luke 10:7, and almost a direct quote of Matthew 10:10.  This is likely Paul saying (indirectly) that Luke’s gospel was inspired by God, and thus is scripture.  It’s possible that this applies to Matthew as well, though it isn’t a perfect quote of Matthew.
  3. Don’t accept an accusation against an elder except by two or three witnesses.
  4. But rebuke the men sinning in the sight of all, so the rest might also have fear of sin.
  5. I solemnly charge you in the sight of God, and Jesus the Anointed, and the chosen angels, that you might keep these things without prejudice, doing nothing from partiality.
  6. Lay hands on no one hastily, nor share in the sins of others.  Keep yourself pure.
  7. No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
  8. The sins of some men are obvious now, going before them into judgement.  But also, some men’s sins appear later.
  9. Likewise also, good works are obvious, and men having works that are otherwise aren’t able to be concealed.

 

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