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Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
1 Timothy 4:14 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Don’t neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders.
  • BSB Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you through the prophecy spoken over you at the laying on of the hands of the elders.
  • NKJV Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
  • NASB Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was granted to you through words of prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders.
  • NLT Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.

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

Timothy must not neglect the gift given him through prophecy and the elders' laying on of hands. It calls him to actively use his God-given calling.

Overview

Paul reminds Timothy of the spiritual gift confirmed at his commissioning by the elders. Gifts are to be exercised, not neglected. The verse encourages faithful stewardship of the abilities God grants for ministry.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • 2 Tim 1:6Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
  • 1 Pet 4:9–11Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
  • 1 Tim 1:18This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
  • Acts 6:6Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
  • 1 Tim 5:22Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.
  • 1 Th 5:19Quench not the Spirit.
  • Acts 13:3And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
  • Rom 12:6–8Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
  • Acts 8:17Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
  • Matt 25:14–30For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
  • Luke 19:12–26He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
  • Acts 19:6And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

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 4:14YouTube · 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 4:14 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.