1 Timothy 1:16

Contextual Overview

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord because he trusted me and gave me this work of serving him. He gives me strength. ¹² I thank him who has given me strength for this, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful by appointing me to his service, ¹² And I thanke Christ Iesus oure Lorde which hath made me stronge: for he counted me true and put me in office ¹² And I thank him who enabled me, Messiah Yeshua, our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service; ¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, ¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who gave me strength, because he trusted me and gave me this work of serving him. ¹² I thank him that enabled me, [even] Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to [his] service; ¹² And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; ¹² I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, ¹² And I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus, our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

for this: Numbers 23:3, Psalms 25:11, Isaiah 1:18, Isaiah 43:25, Ephesians 1:6, Ephesians 1:12, Ephesians 2:7, 2 Thessalonians 1:10

I obtained: 1 Timothy 1:13, 2 Corinthians 4:1

all: Exodus 34:8, Romans 2:4, Romans 2:5, 1 Peter 3:20, 2 Peter 3:9, 2 Peter 3:15

for a: 2 Chronicles 33:9-13, 2 Chronicles 33:19, Isaiah 55:7, Luke 7:47, Luke 15:10, Luke 18:13, Luke 18:14, Luke 19:7-9, Luke 23:43, John 6:37, Acts 13:39, Romans 5:20, Romans 15:4, Hebrews 7:25

believe: John 3:15, John 3:16, John 3:36, John 5:24, John 6:40, John 6:54, John 20:31, Romans 5:21, Romans 6:23, 1 John 5:11, 1 John 5:12

Reciprocal: Genesis 43:14 - And God Psalms 32:6 - For this Psalms 34:2 - the humble Psalms 66:16 - Come Song of Solomon 8:10 - then Isaiah 54:8 - but Ezekiel 20:44 - when I Matthew 5:7 - for Matthew 19:16 - eternal Mark 2:17 - I came Luke 5:32 - General Luke 7:41 - the one John 8:11 - go John 10:28 - I give John 11:27 - which John 12:47 - for John 12:50 - his John 17:2 - give Romans 1:1 - separated Romans 5:8 - commendeth 1 Corinthians 15:10 - by Galatians 6:8 - of the Spirit 1 Thessalonians 5:9 - obtain 1 John 2:25 - General 1 John 5:13 - believe Revelation 19:1 - Salvation

Cross-References

Genesis 1:7
And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.

Genesis 1:7
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

Genesis 1:7
So God made the air and placed some of the water above the air and some below it.

Genesis 1:7
So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. It was so.

Genesis 1:7
And God made the firmament; and divided the waters which [were] under the firmament from the waters which [were] above the firmament: and it was so.

Genesis 1:7
God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse, and it was so.

Genesis 1:7
And God made the expanse [of sky] and separated the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so [just as He commanded].

Genesis 1:7
And God made the firmament, and departide the watris that weren vndur the firmament fro these watris that weren on the firmament; and it was don so.

Genesis 1:7
And God maketh the expanse, and it separateth between the waters which [are] under the expanse, and the waters which [are] above the expanse: and it is so.

Genesis 1:7
So God made the expanse and separated the waters beneath it from the waters above. And it was so.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Howbeit, for this cause I obtained mercy,.... Though so great a sinner, and even the chief of sinners:

that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering; not that the apostle was the first that was converted upon Christ's coming to save sinners; for there were many converted before him, and very great sinners too, and he speaks of himself as one born out of due time; unless it can be thought that he was the first of the persecutors of the church, upon the death of Stephen, that was converted: but the word "first" is not an "adverb" of time, but a "noun" expressing the character of the apostle, as before; and the sense is, that in him, the first or chief of sinners, Jesus Christ exhibited an instance of his abundant longsuffering exercised towards his elect for their salvation; he waiting in the midst of all their sins and rebellions to be gracious to them; and of this, here was a full proof in the Apostle Paul: what longsuffering and patience were showed, while he held the clothes of them that stoned Stephen, when he made havoc and haled men and women to prison, and persecuted them to death? and this was done,

for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting; either to those of his fellow persecutors, or of others in that age, who should be made sensible of their sins, and by this instance and example of grace be encouraged to believe in Christ for life and salvation; or to all awakened and convinced sinners then, and in every age, who from hence may conceive hope of salvation in Christ for themselves, though ever so great sinners; since such patience and longsuffering were exercised towards, and such grace bestowed upon, one that had been a sinner of the first rank and size, yea, the chief of sinners: in him was delineated the grace of God, and in his conversion it was painted in its most lively colours; and a just representation is given of it, for the encouragement of the faith and hope of others in Christ. Christ is here represented as the object of faith; and true faith regards him, looks unto him, and deals with him for eternal life and salvation. Our countryman, Mr. Mede, thinks that the sense is, that the conversion of the Apostle Paul was a pattern of the conversion of the Jews in the latter day; and his thought seems to be a very good one: the apostle's conversion is a pledge and earnest of theirs, and showed that God had not cast away all that people; and carries in it some likeness and agreement with theirs: as his, theirs will be in the midst of all their blindness and unbelief; and when they have filled up the measure of their sins; and they will be a nation born at once, suddenly, and by the immediate power and grace of God, without the ministry of the word, which they will not hear: thus they will be converted as he was, and become as hearty lovers and friends of the Gentile churches.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Howbeit for this cause - That is, this was one of the causes, or this was a leading reason. We are not to suppose that this was the only one. God had other ends to answer by his conversion than this, but this was one of the designs why he was pardoned - that there might be for all ages a permanent proof that sins of the deepest dye might be forgiven. It was well to have one such example at the outset, that a doubt might never arise about the possibility of forgiving great transgressors. The question thus would be settled for ever.

That in me first - Not first in the order of time, as our translation would seem to imply, but that in me the first or chief of sinners (ἐν ἐμοὶ ποώτῳ en emoi poōtō) he might show an example. The idea is, that he sustained the first rank as a sinner, and that Jesus Christ designed to show mercy to him as such, in order that the possibility of pardoning the greatest sinners might be evinced, and that no one might afterward despair of salvation on account of the greatness of his crimes.

Might shew forth all long-suffering - The highest possible degree of forbearance, in order that a case might never occur about which there could be any doubt. It was shown by his example that the Lord Jesus could evince any possible degree of patience, and could have mercy on the greatest imaginable offenders.

For a pattern - ὑποτύπωσιν hupotupōsin. This word occurs no where else in the New Testament, except in 2 Timothy 1:13, where it is rendered “form.” It properly means a form, sketch, or imperfect delineation. Then it denotes a pattern or example, and here it means that the case of Paul was an example for the encouragement of sinners in all subsequent times. It was that to which they might look when they desired forgiveness and salvation. It furnished all the illustration and argument which they would need to show that they might be forgiven. It settled the question forever that the greatest sinners might be pardoned; for as he was “the chief of sinners,” it proved that a case could not occur which was beyond the possibility of mercy.

Which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting - All might learn from the mercy shown to him that salvation could be obtained. From this verse we may learn:

(1) That no sinner should despair of mercy. No one should say that he is so great a sinner that he cannot be forgiven. One who regarded himself as the “chief” of sinners was pardoned, and pardoned for the very purpose of illustrating this truth, that any sinner might be saved. His example stands as the illustration of this to all ages; and were there no other, any sinner might now come and hope for mercy. But there are other examples. Sinners of all ranks and descriptions have been pardoned. Indeed, there is no form of depravity of which people can be guilty, in respect to which there are not instances where just such offenders have been forgiven. The persecutor may reflect that great enemies of the cross like him have been pardoned; the profane man and the blasphemer, that many such have been forgiven; the murderer, the thief, the sensualist, that many of the same character have found mercy, and have been admitted to heaven.

(2) The fact that great sinners have been pardoned, is a proof that others of the same description may be also. The same mercy that saved them can save us - for mercy is not exhausted by being frequently exercised. The blood of atonement which has cleansed so many can cleanse us - for its efficacy is not destroyed by being once applied to the guilty soul. Let no one then despair of obtaining mercy because he feels that his sins are too great to be forgiven. Let him look to the past, and remember what God has done. Let him remember the case of Saul of Tarsus; let him think of David and Peter; let him recall the names of Augustine, and Colonel Gardiner, and the Earl of Rochester, and John Newton, and John Bunyan - and thousands like them, who have found mercy; and in their examples let him see a full proof that God is willing to save any sinner, no matter how vile, provided he is penitent and believing.