Timothy: Honouring God, a young disciple who was Paul's companion in many of
his journeyings. His mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, are
mentioned as eminent for their piety
(2 Timothy 1:5) We know nothing of his
father but that he was a Greek
(Acts 16:1) He is first brought into
notice at the time of Paul's second visit to Lystra
(Acts 16:2) where he
probably resided, and where it seems he was converted during Paul's
first visit to that place
(1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 3:11) The apostle having formed
a high opinion of his "own son in the faith," arranged that he should
become his companion
(Acts 16:3) and took and circumcised him, so that
he might conciliate the Jews. He was designated to the office of an
evangelist
(1 Timothy 4:14) and went with Paul in his journey through
Phrygia, Galatia, and Mysia; also to Troas and Philippi and Berea
(Acts 17:14) Thence he followed Paul to Athens, and was sent by him with
Silas on a mission to Thessalonica
(Acts 17:15; 1 Thessalonians 3:2) We next find him
at Corinth
(1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1) with Paul. He passes now out of sight for
a few years, and is again noticed as with the apostle at Ephesus
(Acts 19:22) whence he is sent on a mission into Macedonia. He
accompanied Paul afterwards into Asia
(Acts 20:4) where he was with
him for some time. When the apostle was a prisoner at Rome, Timothy
joined him
(Philippians 1:1) where it appears he also suffered imprisonment
(Hebrews 13:23) During the apostle's second imprisonment he wrote to
Timothy, asking him to rejoin him as soon as possible, and to bring
with him certain things which he had left at Troas, his cloak and
parchments
(2 Timothy 4:13) According to tradition, after the apostle's
death he settled in Ephesus as his sphere of labour, and there found a
martyr's grave.
