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

5The 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. 6But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently. 8We know that the law is good when used correctly. 9For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders.

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 15:1While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
• Romans 2:19You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness.
• Galatians 3:2Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.
• Galatians 4:21Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says?
• Galatians 5:3I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses.
• 1 Timothy 6:4Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions.
• Isaiah 29:13And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.
• Jeremiah 8:8“‘How can you say, “We are wise because we have the word of the Lord,” when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies?
• Matthew 15:14so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”
• Matthew 21:27So they finally replied, “We don’t know.” And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.
• Matthew 23:16“Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’
• John 3:9“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
• John 9:40Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”
• Romans 1:22Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
• 2 Timothy 3:7(Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.)
• 2 Peter 2:12These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, 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