Timothy

Timothy was born in Lystra in Asia Minor to Eunice, a Jewish believer, and a Greek father. His mother and grandmother Lois had raised him in the scriptures from childhood, and he was well regarded by the believers in Lystra and Iconium when Paul arrived on his second journey. Paul wanted to take him along and circumcised him — not as a requirement for salvation but to remove a practical obstacle to Timothy's ministry among Jewish communities where it was known his father was Greek.

Timothy became Paul's most trusted companion and delegate. Paul repeatedly sent him to churches in difficult situations — to Thessalonica to strengthen the believers in persecution, to Corinth when the church was fracturing, to Philippi when Paul could not come himself. Paul wrote of him, "I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare." The two letters addressed to Timothy are Paul's most personal pastoral correspondence, urging him to guard the deposit of faith, to lead with courage despite his youth, and to remain sound when false teaching was spreading. Paul addresses him as "my true child in the faith" and "my beloved child."