The Nugget:
1Ti 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (KJV)
1Ti 4:12 Let no one make little of you because you are young, but be an example to the church in word, in behaviour, in love, in faith, in holy living. (BBE, Bible in Basic English)
1Ti 4:12 Let, no one, despise, thy youth, but, an ensample, become thou of the faithful, – in discourse, in behaviour, in love, in faith, in chastity. (EB, Emphasized Bible by Rotherham)
My Comment:
The sixth quality Paul encourages in Timothy is the quality of purity. Note that the three English translations cited above translate the underlying Greek word as purity, holy living, and chastity.
This is a most important character trait and lifestyle. This lifestyle trait is widely violated in today’s culture. But we as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ do not set our standard by what the current world culture favors.
The best interpreter of Scripture is the Scripture itself. The Bible explains itself and is in no need of an official interpreter in the form of a self-proclaimed teaching authority claimed exclusively by or for a particular church or religious group. Bible cross references presented below will surely explain and amplify what the Word of God means by purity.
Here are the references from my book, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
in purity. Gr. hagneia (S# G47, only here and 1Ti 5:2), cleanliness (the quality), that is, (specifically) chastity (Strong). 1Ti 1:5; 1Ti 5:2; 1Ti 5:22, Psa 24:4; +*Psa 101:3; *Psa 119:9, Pro 15:26; Pro 20:11; Pro 21:8, Mic 6:11, +*Mat 5:8, 2Co 6:6, **Php 4:8, 1Th 4:3, 4, 5, 6 note. *Tit 1:8; *Tit 1:15, Jas 1:27; Jas 3:17; Jas 4:8, +*1Pe 1:22; 1Pe 3:2, *2Pe 3:1; *2Pe 3:14, *1Jn 3:3, *Jud 1:24.
On some viewing platforms the above cross references are live links. When your mouse or other pointing device hovers over the reference, the text of the referenced verse will appear in a little window so you can read it directly. For the benefit of those who do not have access to those live links on their device, I share the text of the above cross referenced passages with some additional comments of my own.
1 Timothy 1:5
5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
King James Version
5 You must teach people to have genuine love, as well as a good conscience and true faith. Contemporary English Version
1 Timothy 5:2
2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
King James Version
2 and treat older women as you would your own mother. Show the same respect to younger women that you would to your sister. Contemporary English Version
1 Timothy 5:2
2 older women as if they were your mothers, and younger women as if they were your sisters, while keeping yourself morally pure.
GOD’S WORD translation
All of us at all times must keep ourselves morally pure. Notice how Paul has stressed this repeatedly in his instructions to Timothy. Those instructions apply to us. Satan delights in causing and continuing the moral downfall of a Christian believer. Take great care to not let this happen to you. Do not continue in the sin of moral impurity or unchastity.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is most gracious to sinners. He forgives our sins. But sins leave their mark on our lives even when forgiven. I recall hearing and watching Dr. Bob Jones Senior relate the story of a young man who asked his father for help in overcoming the tendency to constantly fall into sin. They lived on a farm. The father suggested that his boy pound a nail into the barn door for each time he did something wrong. Soon the boy showed his dad how disappointed he was because the barn door was soon full of nails. The father suggested that his son pull out a nail each time he overcame the temptation and did right. Finally, after a few weeks went by, the son excitedly showed his father the barn door free of all those nails. The father congratulated the son for a job well done. Then the son looked at the door and remarked,”But Dad, the nail holes are still there.” The father reflected that even though our sins can be forgiven by God through our Lord Jesus Christ, some effects of those sins may remain.
1 Timothy 5:22
22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.
King James Version
1 Timothy 5:22
22 Don’t be in a hurry to place your hands on anyone to ordain him. Don’t participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself morally pure.
GOD’S WORD translation
22 Don’t be too quick to accept people into the service of the Lord by placing your hands on them. Don’t sin because others do, but stay close to God. CEV, Contemporary English Version
Psalms 24:4
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
King James Version
Psalms 101:3
3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
King James Version
We need to exercise great caution and wisdom about what we choose to watch. Temptation can enter our hearts and minds through the eye-gate, just as it first did for Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6). I have an interesting book from the field of psychology that describes an experiment that demonstrated that certain images, repeatedly seen, or certain actions, repeatedly done, actually bypass our moral judgment and cause us to let our guard down such that we can easily be led to do what we normally would never think of doing. That is why we must guard our hearts against such things.
Psalms 119:9
9 BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
King James Version
The way to keep our minds pure and our actions right is to focus our attention upon God’s Word in the Bible. Read it enough to make a difference in your life. At first, I suggest you concentrate on the New Testament. Read it through from start to finish several times. Read the Bible daily at least five days a week. I used to encourage my high school friends to read three chapters a day to keep the Devil away. Recent research confirms the value of the recommendation I made many years ago.
Proverbs 15:26
26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.
King James Version
Proverbs 20:11
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
King James Version
Proverbs 21:8
8 The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.
King James Version
Micah 6:11
11 Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
King James Version
Matthew 5:8
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
King James Version
2 Corinthians 6:6
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
King James Version
Philippians 4:8
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
King James Version
Important advice of what to think about from the Apostle Paul.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-6
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
King James Version
Notes from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury may help you to understand this passage better:
1 Thessalonians 4:4
should know. Gr. oida, Joh 8:55 note. 1Th 1:4, **Rom 6:19; +*Rom 12:1, *1Co 6:15; *1Co 6:18, 19, 20.
possess. Gr. ktaomai (S# G2932), to acquire, as money (Mat 10:9, Luk 18:12), lands (Act 1:18), political liberty (Act 22:28), or the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Act 8:20), as noted by Hogg and Vine, Comm. on Thessalonians, p. 116, Boyce W. Blackwelder points out that the present tense of this infinitive requires the meaning of “acquire;” if the perfect tense of the verb had been used, then the meaning of “possess” would be correct, but such is not the case here (Toward Understanding Thessalonians, p. 93). +Luk 21:19.
his vessel. FS46C, +Mat 8:6, Gr. skeuos, a vase or utensil, is used for the Hebrew klee, which has a wider meaning, instrument or weapon. See Hos 13:15 and 1Sa 21:3-6 (F/S 679). This may be a reference to himself, his body (1Sa 21:5, Rom 6:13, 1Co 9:27), or more likely, the reference is to acquiring his own wife (1Co 7:2), since one could hardly acquire himself. Rth 4:10, 1Sa 21:5, Est 2:12, +Hos 13:15 mg. *Act 9:15, Rom 9:21, 22, 23, **1Co 7:2, 2Co 4:7, 2Ti 2:20, 21, **1Pe 3:7.
in sanctification. +*1Th 4:3.
honour. +*Act 6:3, Rom 1:24, +*Php 4:8, +*Heb 13:4, 1Pe 3:7.
1 Thessalonians 4:6
go beyond. A command not to go beyond the fixed limits of chastity established by God’s law. +*Exo 20:14; +*Exo 20:17, +**Lev 19:11; +**Lev 19:13, Deut 24:7; Deut 25:13, 14, 15, 16, *Pro 11:1; Pro 16:11; *Pro 20:14; *Pro 20:23; *Pro 28:24, Isa 5:7; Isa 59:4, 5, 6, 7, Jer 9:4, Eze 22:13; Eze 45:9-14, Amos 8:5, 6, Zep 3:5, +*Mal 3:5, **Mar 10:19, **1Co 6:7, 8, 9; 1Co 13:5, +*Eph 4:28, +*Jas 5:4.
defraud. or, oppress, or, overreach. Gr. pleonekteō [S# G4122: Rendered (1) make a gain: 2Co 12:17, 18, (2) defraud: 2Co 7:2, 1Th 4:6, (3) get an advantage: 2Co 2:11]. We are not to destroy the moral purity of fellow believers or anyone else to satisfy our own impure desires by stepping over the boundaries God has established. The practice of men having “live in” girlfriends, or women having “live in” boyfriends, is clearly and absolutely forbidden by this Scripture. Christian parents further have the responsibility to shield their children from exposure to amoral or non-Christian instruction in these matters contrary to the principles of the written word of God (Mat 18:6, 1Co 7:36, 37, 38, Eph 5:12) by whatever means are necessary (+*Act 5:29). T732, Gen 23:16; Gen 27:35; Gen 43:12, +**Exo 20:17, Lev 19:11; Lev 19:13; Lev 19:35; *Lev 25:14; *Lev 25:17, +*Deut 24:14; Deut 25:13, 14, 15; Deut 27:17, 1Sa 12:3, 4, +*Psa 12:5; Psa 82:2, Pro 11:1; +Pro 21:3 (T629). +Pro 22:22 (T636). Jer 7:6, +*Eze 16:49, Mic 2:2, Zep 3:1, +Mar 10:19, 1Co 6:8; 1Co 6:10, *+2Co 2:11 g. Eph 4:19 note. Jas 2:6.
his brother. Used of mankind in general by Paul only here. Deut 22:2, Rth 3:12, Mal 2:10, Mat 5:22; Mat 7:2, 3; Mat 18:15, 1Co 6:8.
in any matter. or, in the matter. Paul delicately has reference to the sexual sin mentioned in the immediate context; in particular, adultery and pre-marital sex, sins absolutely forbidden to Christian men and women. As the preceding reference passages show, the commandment “Defraud not” elsewhere has broader application. Deut 22:25, **2Sa 13:1-14, Act 15:20, 1Co 6:9; 1Co 6:18, 19; 1Co 7:1, 2; 1Co 13:5, 2Co 7:11, Eph 5:3; Eph 5:6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
the avenger. +**Gen 6:13, Num 31:2, Deut 25:16; **+Deut 32:35, Jdg 15:6, Job 31:13, 14; Job 36:12, 13, 14 mg. Psa 94:1; Psa 140:12, +*Pro 22:22; +*Pro 22:23, Ecc 5:8, Isa 1:23, 24, Jer 51:56, *Rom 1:18; **+Rom 12:19; Rom 13:4 g. Eph 5:6, Col 3:6; Col 3:25, **2Th 1:8, +*Heb 13:4 note.
as we. Luk 12:5, Gal 5:21, Eph 4:17.
forewarned. Gr. proeipō (S# G4277). +1Th 3:4, Jer 42:19, Eze 3:19; Eze 3:21; **Eze 33:9, Act 1:16 g. Gal 5:21 g. Col 1:28.
testified. Gr. diamarturomai (S# G1263, Luk 16:28). 1Th 2:11, Amos 3:13, Zec 8:16, +Luk 16:28, Act 2:40, Gal 5:3, +Eph 4:17, Php 3:18, 1Ti 5:21, 2Ti 2:14; 2Ti 4:1, Heb 2:6 g. Rev 22:18.
Titus 1:8
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
King James Version
Titus 1:15
15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
King James Version
James 1:27
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
King James Version
1 Peter 1:22
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
King James Version
1 Peter 3:2
2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
King James Version
2 Peter 3:1
1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
King James Version
2 Peter 3:14
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
King James Version
Because we as Bible-believing Christians look forward to the return of Christ, we are to be diligent to live at all times in all places in a manner that we will not be embarrassed by what we are doing or how we are living should our Lord Jesus Christ suddenly appear.
1 John 3:3
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
King James Version
Jude 1:24
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
King James Version