The Book of First Timothy

The book of 1 Timothy is the first of two pastoral letters that are included in the New Testament of the Bible that were written by the apostle Paul to his assistant Timothy. It was written around a.d. 63-65 while Timothy was ministering to the church in Ephesus.

Having left Timothy in Ephesus, and now realizing that he would not be soon returning, Paul gives Timothy instruction on such church matters as worship and the appointment of leaders. Because Gnosticism, distortions of Judaism, and abstinence based on false doctrine were rampant in Ephesus, Paul advises Timothy to refute these false teachings.