King James Version

What Does 1 Timothy 4:6 Mean?

1 Timothy 4:6 in the King James Version says “If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in ...” — study this verse from 1 Timothy chapter 4 with commentary, cross-references, and original Greek word analysis.

“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.”

1 Timothy 4:6 · KJV

Faith

Context

4

For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

5

For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

6

If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

7

But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

8

For bodily exercise profiteth little : but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. little: or, for a little time

Read 1 Timothy 4 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things (Ταῦτα ὑποτιθέμενος τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, Tauta hypotithemenos tois adelphois)—'if you point these things out to the brothers.' Hypotithēmi means to lay before, suggest, remind. Timothy must teach the truths Paul has outlined—creation's goodness, false teachers' errors, godliness through spiritual training.

Thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ (καλὸς ἔσῃ διάκονος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, kalos esē diakonos Christou Iēsou)—'you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus.' Kalos means good, excellent, fine. Diakonos means servant, minister. Nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine (ἐντρεφόμενος τοῖς λόγοις τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς καλῆς διδασκαλίας, entrephomenos tois logois tēs pisteōs kai tēs kalēs didaskalias)—'being trained in the words of the faith and good teaching.' Entrephō means to rear, nourish, train.

Good ministry flows from two sources: reminding believers of truth and personally being nourished by sound doctrine. Timothy must teach what he's learned—the pattern of faithful teaching passed from Paul to Timothy to the church. Ministers need constant intake of God's Word to have something genuine to give others.

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Historical & Cultural Context

In oral cultures, memory and repetition were essential for preserving teaching. Timothy must regularly remind the church of apostolic truth—not innovating but faithfully transmitting what he received. The minister's effectiveness depends on his own spiritual nourishment—you can't feed others from an empty soul. Paul emphasizes Timothy's need for constant intake of 'words of faith and good doctrine.'

Reflection Questions

  1. Why is 'reminding' believers of truth such an important pastoral task?
  2. How does a minister's personal nourishment in Scripture affect his ability to feed others?
  3. What does it mean to be 'a good minister of Jesus Christ'—what makes ministry 'good'?

Original Language Analysis

Greek · 20 words
Ταῦτα1 of 20

“of these things”

G5023

these things

ὑποτιθέμενος2 of 20

“If thou put”

G5294

to place underneath, i.e., (figuratively) to hazard, (reflexively) to suggest

τοῖς3 of 20
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

ἀδελφοῖς4 of 20

“the brethren”

G80

a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like g0001)

καλῆς5 of 20

“a good”

G2570

properly, beautiful, but chiefly (figuratively) good (literally or morally), i.e., valuable or virtuous (for appearance or use, and thus distinguished

ἔσῃ6 of 20

“thou shalt be”

G2071

will be

διάκονος7 of 20

“minister”

G1249

an attendant, i.e., (genitive case) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties); specially, a christian teacher and pastor (technically, a deacon)

Ἰησοῦ8 of 20

“of Jesus”

G2424

jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites

Χριστοῦ9 of 20

“Christ”

G5547

anointed, i.e., the messiah, an epithet of jesus

ἐντρεφόμενος10 of 20

“nourished up”

G1789

(figuratively) to educate

τοῖς11 of 20
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

λόγοις12 of 20

“in the words”

G3056

something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a

τῆς13 of 20
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

πίστεως14 of 20

“of faith”

G4102

persuasion, i.e., credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of god or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon christ

καὶ15 of 20

“and”

G2532

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

τῆς16 of 20
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

καλῆς17 of 20

“a good”

G2570

properly, beautiful, but chiefly (figuratively) good (literally or morally), i.e., valuable or virtuous (for appearance or use, and thus distinguished

διδασκαλίας18 of 20

“doctrine”

G1319

instruction (the function or the information)

ᾗ19 of 20

“whereunto”

G3739

the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that

παρηκολούθηκας·20 of 20

“thou hast attained”

G3877

to follow near, i.e., (figuratively) attend (as a result), trace out, conform to

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 1 Timothy. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

1 Timothy 4:6 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to 1 Timothy 4:6 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Titus 2:7-10Colossians 3:16Titus 2:1Matthew 13:522 Timothy 3:14-17Colossians 4:7

Test Your Knowledge

1 Timothy 4 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapter1 Timothy Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

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