Single lesson
1 Timothy 1: Paul’s Greeting to Timothy
1 Timothy 1:1–2; 1 Timothy 1:3–11; 1 Timothy 1:12–20
In 1 Timothy 1, Paul greets Timothy, warns about different teaching, explains the goal of right instruction, and tells how Christ showed mercy to him. This lesson helps children hear the main message in a careful, age-appropriate way.
Before you teach
This passage opens Paul’s letter to Timothy. Paul writes as an apostle of Jesus Christ, calls Timothy his true child in faith, tells him to remain and address different teaching, then explains how Christ showed mercy to Paul and gives Timothy a serious charge to keep going in faith.
Students will be able to identify two main teachings in 1 Timothy 1: right teaching aims at love, and Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Welcome: Who is writing, and what is Timothy meant to do?
5 minIntroduce the lesson by explaining that this passage begins a letter. Read 1 Timothy 1:1-3 aloud. Ask the children to listen for who is speaking, who receives the letter, and the first instruction Paul gives. Point out that Paul writes with authority and tells Timothy to stay and deal with different teaching.
1 Timothy 1:1, 1 Timothy 1:2, 1 Timothy 1:3
Read and explain: The goal of sound teaching
8 minRead 1 Timothy 1:4-8 aloud. Explain that some teachings led to disputes, while Paul wanted teaching connected with God’s work in faith. Show the goal clearly in verse 5: love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. Then briefly summarise verses 9-11 in child-safe words: Paul lists many kinds of wrongdoing that do not fit sound doctrine and the good news.
1 Timothy 1:4, 1 Timothy 1:5, 1 Timothy 1:6, 1 Timothy 1:7, 1 Timothy 1:8, 1 Timothy 1:9, 1 Timothy 1:10, 1 Timothy 1:11
Discuss: Why does Paul tell his own story?
7 minRead 1 Timothy 1:12-17 aloud. Help children notice that Paul thanks Christ Jesus for enabling him and appointing him to service. Paul says he had been a blasphemer and persecutor, yet he received mercy. Focus on verse 15, where Paul states that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and verse 16, where Paul says Christ showed patience in him as an example.
1 Timothy 1:12, 1 Timothy 1:13, 1 Timothy 1:14, 1 Timothy 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:16, 1 Timothy 1:17
Make and respond: Create a reminder card
7 minInvite children to choose one short line from the passage for a reminder card, such as “The goal of this command is love”, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”, or “holding faith and a good conscience”. Discuss a simple example, such as choosing truthful words or remembering Christ’s mercy when we have done wrong.
1 Timothy 1:5, 1 Timothy 1:6, 1 Timothy 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:19
Closing: Hold faith and a good conscience
3 minRead 1 Timothy 1:18-19 aloud, and summarise verse 20 soberly rather than reading it straight through to younger children. Explain that Paul gives Timothy a serious instruction to keep holding faith and a good conscience. After warning about people who made shipwreck concerning the faith, Paul names Hymenaeus and Alexander, and says his action aimed to teach them not to blaspheme.
1 Timothy 1:18, 1 Timothy 1:19, 1 Timothy 1:20
Questions to explore
According to 1 Timothy 1:5, what is the goal of the command?
Guide children to answer with the words of the verse: love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith, then compare that with the disputes mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:4.
1 Timothy 1:4, 1 Timothy 1:5
What does Paul say about Jesus in 1 Timothy 1:15?
Help them find the exact statement that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and connect it with Paul receiving mercy in 1 Timothy 1:13 and 1 Timothy 1:16.
1 Timothy 1:13, 1 Timothy 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:16
What does Paul tell Timothy to hold on to in 1 Timothy 1:19?
Encourage children to answer from the verse itself, then link it back to the earlier words about a good conscience and sincere faith in 1 Timothy 1:5.
1 Timothy 1:5, 1 Timothy 1:19
Make, think or respond
Key Verse Reminder Card
What you’ll need
- index cards or paper
- pencils
- coloured pencils or markers
- Bible
Try it together
- Read 1 Timothy 1:5, 1 Timothy 1:15, and 1 Timothy 1:19 together.
- Ask each child to choose one verse line that shows the main teaching of the passage.
- Write the chosen words clearly on a card and decorate it with simple symbols such as a heart, a cross, or a shield.
- Invite each child to say where they might place the card this week so they can remember the verse.
This activity helps children remember the main teaching of 1 Timothy 1: right teaching leads to love, and Christ Jesus came to save sinners.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, read 1 Timothy 1:4-8 and 1 Timothy 1:18-19 aloud, but summarise 1 Timothy 1:9-11 and 1 Timothy 1:20 briefly and soberly by saying that Paul warns against many kinds of wrong living, false teaching, and serious rejection of the truth.
- For older or stronger readers, ask them to explain in one or two sentences how 1 Timothy 1:5, 1 Timothy 1:15, and 1 Timothy 1:19 fit together before making the card.
An optional closing prayer
You could pray: “Lord Jesus, thank you for mercy and grace. Please help us love what is true, hold faith and a good conscience, and remember that you came to save sinners. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
1 Timothy 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope,
2 to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine,
4 and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith.
5 But the goal of this command is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith,
6 from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned away to vain talking,
7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say nor about what they strongly affirm.
8 But we know that the law is good if a person uses it lawfully,
9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine,
11 according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
12 I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service,
13 although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15 The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
16 However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life.
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19 holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith,
20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.