Timothy
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- For other people named Timothy, see Timothy (disambiguation).
Timothy (Greek: Τιμόθεος; Timotheos meaning "to honor God") was a first-century Christian bishop who died about 80 AD. Evidence from the New Testament also has him functioning as an apostolic delegate or coadjutor. Saint Timotheos is venerated as a saint and martyr by the Eastern Orthodox Church and in addition as an apostle by the Greek Orthodox Church, with his feast day on January 22nd (old style calendar). The Saint Timotheus, recognized by the Roman Catholic Church and accorded a feast day on August 22nd, is a different person who lived in the fourth century AD.
Timothy was Paul of Tarsus's companion on many of his journeys. His mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, are noted as eminent for their piety (2 Tim 1:5). He is praised by Paul for his knowledge of the Scriptures, which seems good evidence that he had been brought up a Jew (see Proselyte). We know nothing of his father but that he was a Greek (Acts 16:1). Timothy is first mentioned at the time of Paul's second visit to Lystra (16:2), where he probably resided, and where it seems he was converted during Paul's first visit to that place (1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 3:11). Paul, having been impressed by his "own son in the faith", arranged that he should become his companion (Acts 16:3), and personally circumcised him because his mother was of the Jewish faith, so that he might be accepted by the Jews. He was ordained (1 Tim 4:14), and went with Paul in his journey through Phrygia, Galatia and Mysia; also to Troas, Philippi, Berea (Acts 17) and Corinth (Acts 18:5).
According to later tradition, Paul ordained Timothy as Bishop of Ephesus in the year 65, where he served for 15 years. In the year 80 (though some sources have this as the year 97 with Timothy dying at age 80), Timothy tried to halt a pagan procession of idols, ceremonies and songs. In response to his preaching of the Gospel, the angry pagans beat him, dragged him through the streets and stoned him to death. In the 4th century, his relics were transferred to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople.
Two books of the New Testament bear his name: I Timothy and II Timothy. These both start with the formal address of Paul to Timothy, and are hence traditionally believed to have been written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy. Language experts have tried to throw doubt on this origin through comparison with other Pauline epistles, but their conclusions remain unclear and disputed.
