I therefore exhort, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, offerings of thanks, be made concerning all sorts of men [but not including Hymenaeus and Alexander the blasphemers], concerning kings and all those who are in high station; in order that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life with full godly devotion and seriousness.

18. (a) Was Paul thus exhorting Timothy to act as a mediator between God and those public officials? (b) Who were the ones to benefit from those pleas to God concerning such public officials?

¹⁸ Thus Paul exhorted that “supplications, prayers, intercessions” should be made “concerning kings and all those who are in high station.” But he was not exhorting Timothy to act as a mediator between God and those public officials. The converting of such public officials to Christianity was not to be the motive behind those “supplications, prayers, intercessions.” Who, really, were the ones to benefit from such pleas directed to God? The purpose behind such representations to God was what? “That we [Christians like Paul and Timothy] may go on leading a calm and quiet life with full godly devotion and seriousness.”​—1 Tim. 2:2.

19. The leading of such a godly life would work for what accomplishment, and to whom was this “fine and acceptable”?

¹⁹ Leading such a calm, godly, serious life would work for the salvation of Christians who offered these petitions concerning political rulers.