1 Timothy 1:7

1 Timothy 1:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
• New International Version (NIV)They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
• English Standard Version (ESV)desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
• New King James Version (NKJV)desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.

Context of 1 Timothy 1:7

5But the goal of our instruction is love [which springs] from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6Some individuals have wandered away from these things into empty arguments and useless discussions, wanting to be teachers of the Law [of Moses], even though they do not understand the terms they use or the subjects about which they make [such] confident declarations. 8Now we know [without any doubt] that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully and appropriately, 9understanding the fact that law is not enacted for the righteous person [the one in right standing with God], but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinful, for the irreverent and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,

1 Timothy 1:7 word by word

θέλοντες εἶναι νομοδιδάσκαλοι, μὴ νοοῦντες μήτε ἃ λέγουσιν μήτε περὶ τίνων διαβεβαιοῦνται.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·μήmē · notG3361
• ·τίςtis · which?G5101
• Desiringθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• to beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• teachers of the lawνομοδιδάσκαλοςnomodidaskalos · teacher of the lawG3547
• understandingνοέωnoieō · to understandG3539
• neitherμήτεmēte · neitherG3383
• whatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• they sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• whereofπερίperi · aboutG4012
• they affirmδιαβεβαιόωdiabebaioomai · to insistG1226

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 1:7

• Acts 15:1Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
• Romans 2:19and [if you] are confident that you are a [qualified] guide to the blind [those untaught in theology], a light to those who are in darkness,
• Galatians 3:2This is all I want to ask of you: did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying [the requirements of] the Law, or was it the result of hearing [the message of salvation and] with faith [believing it]?
• Galatians 4:21Tell me, you who are bent on being under the Law, do you not listen to [what] the Law [really says]?
• Galatians 5:3Once more I solemnly affirm to every man who receives circumcision [as a supposed requirement of salvation], that he is under obligation and required to keep the whole Law.
• 1 Timothy 6:4he is conceited and woefully ignorant [understanding nothing]. He has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, which produces envy, quarrels, verbal abuse, evil suspicions,
• Isaiah 29:13Then the Lord said, “Because this nation approaches [Me only] with their words And honors Me [only] with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me is a tradition that is learned by rote [without any regard for its meaning],
• Jeremiah 8:8“How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the law of the Lord is with us [and we are learned in its language and teachings]’? Behold, [the truth is that] the lying pen of the scribes Has made the law into a lie [a mere code of ceremonial observances].
• Matthew 15:14Leave them alone; they are blind guides [leading blind followers]. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
• Matthew 21:27So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what [kind of] authority I do these things.”
• Matthew 23:16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears [an oath] by the sanctuary of the temple, that is nothing (non-binding); but whoever swears [an oath] by the gold of the temple is obligated [as a debtor to fulfill his vow and keep his promise].’
• John 3:9Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be possible?”
• John 9:40Some Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “Are we also blind?”
• Romans 1:22Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
• 2 Timothy 3:7always learning and listening to anybody who will teach them, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
• 2 Peter 2:12But these [false teachers], like unreasoning animals, [mere] creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed, reviling things they do not understand, will also perish in their own corruption [in their destroying they will be destroyed],

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 1:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Teachers of the law - To be esteemed or celebrated as rabbins; to be reputed cunning in solving knotty questions and enigmas, which answered no end to true religion. Of such the rabbinical teaching was full. Understanding neither what they say - This is evident from almost all the Jewish comments which yet remain. Things are asserted which are either false or dubious; words, the import of which they did not understand, were brought to illustrate them: so…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Desiring to be teachers of the law - That is, to have the credit and reputation of being well versed in the law of Moses, and qualified to explain it to others. This was a high honor among the Jews, and these teachers laid claim to the same distinction. Understanding neither what they say - That is, they do not understand the true nature and design of that law which they attempt to explain to others. This was true of the Jewish teachers, and equally so of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-11Verses 5-11 Whatever tends to weaken love to God, or love to the brethren, tends to defeat the end of the commandment. The design of the gospel is answered, when sinners, through repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ, are brought to exercise Christian love. And as believers were righteous persons in God's appointed way, the law was not against them. But unless we are made righteous by faith in Christ, really repenting and forsaking sin, we are…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7They wanted to teach the law of Moses, but this desire showed the irony of their thoughts in contrast to their actions. They did not interpret the law very well according to the good news about Jesus. They neither understood nor followed the law (see 1:8–11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Sample of their "vain talk" (1Ti 1:6). Desiring--They are would-be teachers, not really so. the law--the Jewish law (Tit 1:14; 3:9). The Judaizers here meant seem to be distinct from those impugned in the Epistles to the Galatians and Romans, who made the works of the law necessary to justification in opposition to Gospel grace. The Judaizers here meant corrupted the law with "fables," which they pretended to found on it, subversive of morals as well…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 1:7

• Doctor
• Doctrines
• Minister, Christian
• Strife
• Vanity

In the dictionaries

• Acceptation
• Blasphemer
• Charity
• Heed
• Immortal
• Save
• Confidence
• Zenas

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings