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And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
1 Timothy 1:12 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB And I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service;
  • BSB I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service.
  • NKJV And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,
  • NASB I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,
  • NLT I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him,

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Paul thanks Christ for strengthening him and counting him faithful for ministry. It shows that fitness for service comes from Christ's grace, not human merit.

Overview

Paul gives thanks to Christ Jesus, who enabled him and appointed him to service despite his past. He attributes both his calling and his faithfulness to the Lord's grace. The verse models gratitude and humility, recognizing ministry as a gift from Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 16

  • Phil 4:13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
  • 2 Tim 4:17Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
  • 2 Cor 12:9–10And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
  • Col 1:25Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
  • Acts 9:15But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
  • Phil 2:11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
  • 2 Cor 3:5–6Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
  • 1 Cor 7:25Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
  • 2 Cor 4:1Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
  • Acts 9:22But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
  • 1 Tim 1:11According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
  • Acts 16:15And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
  • Rev 5:9–14And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
  • Rev 7:10–12And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
  • 1 Cor 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
  • John 5:23That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 1 Timothy videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 1 Timothy 1:12YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 1 TimothyMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

There is 'one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all' — the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh.

How 1 Timothy 1:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.