Who was Timothy in the Bible?

What does the Bible say about Timothy?

Timothy was a young disciple and close companion of the Apostle Paul. He is mentioned frequently in the New Testament, both in the book of Acts and in Paul's epistles. Timothy was from Lystra, the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother named Eunice (Act.16.1). He was well-respected by the believers in his hometown and in Iconium (Act.16.2). Paul invited Timothy to join him on his missionary journeys, and he became a valuable assistant and co-worker (Act.16.3; 17.14-15; 18.5; 19.22; 20.4). Paul referred to Timothy as his "true son in the faith" (1Ti.1.2) and sent him on important missions to churches in Macedonia, Achaia, and Ephesus (Act.19.22; 1Co.4.17; 16.10; Php.2.19). Timothy was with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment and is named as a co-sender of several of Paul's letters (Php.1.1; Col.1.1; Phm.1.1). Paul also wrote two personal letters to Timothy, providing guidance and encouragement for his pastoral ministry (1Ti.1.2; 2Ti.1.2). These letters, along with the letter to Titus, are known as the Pastoral Epistles. According to Heb.13.23, Timothy was imprisoned at some point but later released. Tradition holds that Timothy served as the bishop of Ephesus in his later years. Timothy's life and ministry exemplify the importance of mentoring, discipleship, and faithful service in the early church.

Where does Timothy appear in the Bible?

Timothy is referenced in 22 verses across 12 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

• 1 Corinthians 4:17
• 1 Corinthians 16:10
• 1 Thessalonians 1:1
• 1 Thessalonians 3:2
• 1 Thessalonians 3:6
• 1 Timothy 1:2
• 1 Timothy 1:18
• 1 Timothy 6:20
• 2 Corinthians 1:1
• 2 Corinthians 1:19
• 2 Thessalonians 1:1
• 2 Timothy 1:2
• Acts 16:1
• Acts 17:14
• Acts 18:5
• Acts 19:22
• Colossians 1:1
• Hebrews 13:23
• Philemon 1:1
• Philippians 1:1
• Philippians 2:19
• Romans 16:21

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Timothy.