1 Timothy 6:12
What does 1 Timothy 6:12 mean?
A plain-English look at 1 Timothy 6:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 1 Timothy 6:12 means
“Fight the good fight of the faith” pictures the Christian life as a noble struggle, not against people but for fidelity to the gospel. Timothy must “lay hold on the life eternal,” gripping what God has given rather than the world’s temptations. He was “called” to this, and he made “the good confession” before many witnesses—likely at his baptism or ordination—publicly aligning with Christ. Remembering that calling and confession strengthens resolve. The pastor contends for truth, suffers well, and refuses to be diverted by greed or quarrels. Eternal life is both present possession and future hope, to be grasped firmly as one runs the race set before him.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Be fighting the good fight of the faith; take for yourself the life eternal, for which you were marked out, and of which you gave witness in the eyes of all.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862be striving the good strife of the faith, be laying hold on the life age-during, to which also thou wast called, and didst profess the right profession before many witnesses.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art called and be it confessed a good confession before many witnesses.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Strive earnestly [in] the good conflict of faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which thou hast been called, and hast confessed the good confession before many witnesses.
Context
Building on verse 11’s virtues, verse 12 adds urgency with battle and race imagery. It links Timothy’s present duty to his past calling and confession, supplying motivation for endurance. The next verses (13–14) intensify the charge by invoking God, the life-giver, and Christ Jesus, who testified before Pontius Pilate, as witnesses to Timothy’s obedience. The horizon then widens to the appearing of “our Lord Jesus Christ” and a soaring declaration of God’s sovereign majesty (verses 15–16). After this high charge and doxology, Paul returns to practical instructions for the rich (verses 17–19) and a final safeguarding exhortation (verses 20–21).
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 44:5
One shall say, I am Jehovah’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto Jehovah, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
- 1 Peter 3:9
not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
- Deuteronomy 26:3
And thou shalt come unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto Jehovah thy God, that I am come unto the land which Jehovah sware unto our fathers to give us.
- Hebrews 6:18
that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us:
- Hebrews 3:14
for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end:
- 1 Corinthians 9:25
And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
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