a young Christian of Lystra, grandson of Lois, and son of Eunice a Jewess, by a Greek father, who was probably a proselyte. He was brought up with great care in his family, and profited well by the example of the "unfeigned faith" which dwelt in his mother and grandmother. The testimonials in favour of this young disciple which Paul received when he visited Lycaonia, about 51 A.D., induced the apostle to make him the companion of his journeys and labours in preaching the Gospel, and he became his most faithful and attached colleague. He had probably been converted by Paul on his former visit to Lystra, and is frequently named by him with truly paternal tenderness and regard. At a later period he was left by the apostle in charge of the Church at Ephesus; but the precise time of this event depends on the date we assign to the 1st Epistle of Paul to him. We know that Timothy was a prisoner with Paul at Rome (Phil. i. 1) at the time referred to in Acts xxviii. 30, 31; that he was afterwards liberated (Heb. xiii. 23), and that shortly before his martyrdom the apostle requested him to come to him at Rome (2 Tim. iv. 9, 21). The tradition is, that Timothy retained the charge of the Church at Ephesus till his death, and eventually suffered martyrdom in that city (97 A.D.).

Epistles to Timothy.—To Timothy the Apostle Paul addressed two of his epistles. That these are the work of the author whose name they bear there is no reason to doubt; and it remained for the hypercriticism of modern Germany to question their authenticity. Their genuineness is attested by Irenæus, Theophilus of Antioch, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and others. The first is dated by some soon after Paul's departure from Ephesus, mentioned in Acts xx. i., but most writers refer it to a later period, after his first imprisonment. The second epistle was written from Rome while Paul was a prisoner there; but whether during his first or second imprisonment has been much questioned, though the weight of probability seems to incline to the later event.

The design of the first epistle is partly to instruct Timothy in the duties of that office with which he had been intrusted, partly to supply him with credentials to the churches which he might visit, and partly to furnish through him guidance to the churches themselves. It may be divided into three parts, exclusive of the introduction (c. i. 1-2), and the conclusion (c. vi. 20, 21). In the first of these parts (c. i. 3-20), the apostle reminds Timothy generally of his functions, and especially of the duties he had to discharge in reference to certain false teachers, who were anxious to bring the believers under the yoke of the law. In the second (c. ii.-vi. 2) he gives Timothy particular instructions concerning the orderly conducting of divine worship, the qualifications of bishops and deacons, and the proper mode of behaving himself in a church. In the third (c. vi. 3-19) the apostle discourses against some vices to which the Christians at Ephesus seem to have been prone.

The design of the second epistle is partly to inform Timothy of the apostle's trying circumstances at Rome, and partly to utter a last warning voice against the errors and delusions which were corrupting and disturbing the churches. It consists of an inscription (c. i. 1-5); of a series of exhortations to Timothy, to be faithful in his zeal for sound doctrine, patient under affliction and persecution, careful to maintain a deportment becoming his office, and diligent in his endeavours to counteract the unhallowed efforts of the false teachers (c. i. 6-iv. 8); and a conclusion in which Paul requests Timothy to visit him, and sends the salutations of certain Christians at Rome to Timothy, and those of the apostle himself to some believers in Asia Minor.