Timothy - The Epistles Trivia Quiz

Answer: two

The two epistles are called 'The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy', and 'The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy'. The first epistle is the longest with six chapters, and the second epistle has four.

Answer: my own son in the faith

In chapter one, Paul writes "Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.", (1 Timothy 1: verse 2). In his second epistle to Timothy, Paul refers to him as "my dearly beloved son:", (2 Timothy 1: verse 2). Paul never refers to Timothy as 'my son in Christ Jesus'.

Answer: Ephesus

This is found in 1 Timothy 1: verse 3, where Paul writes "As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia,". Some versions of the King James Bible have an additional note at the end of the first epistle to Timothy, stating "The first to Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the chiefest city of Phrygia Pacatiana."

Answer: Eunice and Lois

Their names are revealed in 2 Timothy 1: verse 5, where Paul writes "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice;". By naming these women, Paul was clearly drawing attention to the influence of parents and grandparents on their children and grandchildren.

Answer: delivered them to Satan

They are both mentioned in 1 Timothy, chapter 1, where Paul writes "Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.", (1 Timothy 1: verse 20). Hymenaeus is also mentioned in 2 Timothy 2: verse 17, along with someone called Philetus, of whom Paul states "And their word will eat as doth a canker:".

Answer: obedient to the civil authorities

The desired characteristics of a bishop are set out by Paul in 1 Timothy 3: verse 2-7. "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without;". In the same chapter, similar rules are set out by Paul for the conduct of deacons.

Answer: They should dress in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety.

In 1 Timothy 2: verse 9, Paul writes "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array". This advice may have come as a relief to husbands and fathers, who could then have been spared the high cost of purchasing expensive jewellery for their wives and daughters!

Answer: Bodily exercise profiteth little.

These words are found in 1 Timothy 4: verse 8, which states "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things,". Some other Bible versions translate this verse more clearly, stating that bodily exercise is profitable for a little time, but that godliness is more profitable.

Answer: False

What Paul actually says is "For the love of money is the root of all evil:", not money itself, (1 Timothy 6: verse 10). Later, in the same chapter, Paul makes it clear that wealthy people are quite acceptable as members of the church, providing they are not high minded, nor trusting in their riches, but in God, (1 Timothy 6: verses 17-19).

Answer: They aren't mentioned by name in any book of the Old Testament.

Jannes and Jambres are mentioned by name in 2 Timothy 3: verse 8, but nowhere else in the Bible. Traditional Jewish sources claim they were two of the sorcerers who turned their rods into serpents, when Moses and Aaron appeared before Pharaoh, as recorded in Exodus 7: verses 10-12.

Answer: iron

The reference is found in 2 Timothy 2: verse 20, which states "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and earth;". Paul is encouraging Christians to strive to be a 'vessel of honour' within the church, (2 Timothy 2: verse 21).

Answer: True

"Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." is the advice given by Paul in 1 Timothy 5: verse 23. There is considerable evidence that wine, drank in moderation, has certain health benefits, and Jesus himself obviously approved of it, as when for example he changed water into wine at the marriage feast in Cana, (John 2: verses 1-11).

Answer: a lion's mouth

Paul says "I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." in 2 Timothy 4: verse 17. In verse 18, he goes on to say "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom:". At this time, Paul was a prisoner in Rome under the emperor Nero, expecting at any time to be put to death, but his faith in God was still strong.

Answer: his cloak, books, and parchments

Paul asks of Timothy, "The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.", (2 Timothy 4: verse 13). Paul obviously attached greater importance to his parchments than to the purely physical comfort which his cloak would bring him.

Answer: all of these and more

The state of mankind in the last days is described in 2 Timothy 3: verses 1-5, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:".