4:12

your youth: At this time, Timothy may have been in his 30’s, and he had received training from the apostle Paul for over a decade. Paul himself was probably of a similar age when he first appeared in the Bible record. At Ac 7:58, Luke calls Saul (Paul) “a young man,” using a Greek word related to the word for “youth” that occurs here at 1Ti 4:12. Also, in the Septuagint, the Greek term rendered “youth” was sometimes used of married adults. (Pr 5:18; Mal 2:14, 15; LXX) In Greco-Roman society, even men in their 30’s were sometimes considered relatively young and lacking maturity. Timothy was likely younger than some of the men he had to counsel or to appoint as elders, so he may have been somewhat hesitant to assert his authority. (1Ti 1:3; 4:3-6, 11; 5:1, 19-22) Paul’s words “never let anyone look down on your youth” surely bolstered Timothy’s confidence.

become an example to the faithful ones: Paul here clarifies just how Timothy was to apply the counsel “never let anyone look down on your youth.” Timothy was not to dominate the brothers, wielding his God-given authority with a heavy hand; nor was he to insist that others respect him. Paul himself did not act that way. (See study note on 2Co 1:24.) Rather, Paul urges Timothy to continue developing a more effective tool, that of setting a good example. Paul next mentions five areas in which Timothy could serve as an example to “the faithful ones”: by his speech, his conduct, his chasteness and by showing such qualities as love and faith. Faithful ones who observed his example would be moved to become better Christians themselves.​—Heb 13:7, 17.

in chasteness: Or “in purity.”​—See study note on 1Ti 5:2.