1 Timothy 1:5

5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

1 Timothy 1:5 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
English Standard Version (ESV)
5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
New Living Translation (NLT)
5 The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.
The Message Bible (MSG)
5 The whole point of what we're urging is simply love - love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.
American Standard Version (ASV)
5 But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned:
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
5 My goal in giving you this order is for love to flow from a pure heart, from a clear conscience, and from a sincere faith.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
5 Now the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
5 Love is the purpose of my command. Love comes from a pure heart. It comes from a good sense of what is right and wrong. It comes from faith that is honest and true.

1 Timothy 1:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Timothy 1:5

Now the end of the commandment is charity
By the "commandment" may be meant, the order given to Timothy, or the charge committed to him; see ( 1 Timothy 1:18 ) to forbid the teaching of another doctrine, and to avoid fables and endless genealogies; the end and design of which was to cultivate peace, to maintain and secure brotherly love, which cannot long subsist, when a different doctrine is introduced and received; and to promote godly edification, which is brought about by charity or love, for charity edifies; but is greatly hindered by speculative notions, fabulous stories, and genealogical controversies and contentions: or by it may be intended the ministration of the Gospel, called the commandment, ( 1 Timothy 6:14 ) , because enjoined the preachers of it by Christ; the end of which is to bring persons to the obedience of faith, or to that faith which works by love, to believe in Christ, to love the Lord, his truths, ordinances, people, and ways; or rather the moral law is designed, which is often called the commandment, ( Romans 7:8-12 ) since of this the apostle treats in some following verses; the end and design, sum and substance, completion and perfection of which law are love to God, and love to one another; see ( Matthew 22:36-39 ) ( Romans 13:8 Romans 13:9 ) ( Galatians 5:14 ) , which charity or love, when right,

springs out of a pure heart;
which no man has naturally; every man's heart is naturally impure; nor can he make it pure; by the strength of nature, or by anything that he can do: there are some that are pure in their own eyes, and in the esteem of others, and yet are not cleansed from their filthiness, and are inwardly full of all manner of impurity; though there are some that have pure hearts, and they are such, who have clean hearts created in them by the Spirit of God; who are regenerated and sanctified by him; whose hearts are purified by faith; and who have their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience by the blood of Christ; and who are not double minded, speak with a heart and a heart, but whose hearts are sincere and upright, and without hypocrisy; so that charity or love, from such a heart, is love without dissimulation, which is not in tongue and words only, but in deed and in truth; it is an unfeigned love, or loving with a pure heart fervently.

And of a good conscience;
there is a conscience in every man, that accuses or excuses, unless it is cauterized or seared: but this conscience is naturally evil and defiled, and does not perform its office aright; either it takes no notice of, and is not concerned about sin, and has no remorse for it, or it takes notice of little things, and lets pass greater ones, or speaks peace when destruction is at hand: a good conscience is a conscience purified by the grace of God, and purged from dead works by the blood of Christ; under the influence of which a man acts uprightly in the discharge of his duty, and exercises a conscience void of offence towards God and man; and charity, proceeding from such a conscience, is of the right kind: and of faith unfeigned; with which a man really, and from the heart, believes what he professes; so did not Simon Magus, and all other temporary believers, whose faith is a feigned faith, a dead and inactive one; whereas true faith is an operative grace, it is attended with good works, and particularly it works by love: and that charity or love, which springs from faith unfeigned, is unfeigned love also, such as answers the design, and is the substance of the commandment. These words may be considered in a gradation, or as a spiritual genealogy, in opposition to the endless ones before mentioned, thus; that charity which is the end of the commandment comes out of a pure heart, out of which proceeds a good conscience, and from thence faith unfeigned. But the other way of interpreting seems best.

1 Timothy 1:5 In-Context

3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer
4 or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith.
5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
6 Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.
7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

Cross References 3

  • 1. 2 Timothy 2:22
  • 2. S Acts 23:1; 1 Timothy 4:2
  • 3. Galatians 5:6; 2 Timothy 1:5
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