OET interlinear 1TIM 6:12

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἀγωνίζου τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα τῆς πίστεως

/be/_fighting the good fight ˱of˲_the faith

Here, Paul speaks about how Timothy should persevere in believing in and obeying Jesus as if he were a warrior fighting at his best or an athlete doing his best to win an event. He means that Timothy will encounter opposition, pain, and problems, but he should persist and persevere in believing in and obeying Jesus. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in simile form or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Have faith as if you were fighting a good fight” or “Persevere in believing, no matter how hard it is”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα τῆς πίστεως

the good fight ˱of˲_the faith

Here, the phrase the good fight could indicate: (1) that someone is fighting well. Alternate translation: “the fight of the faith well” (2) that the fight is right or just. Alternate translation: “the just fight of the faith” or “the correct fight of the faith”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα τῆς πίστεως

the good fight ˱of˲_the faith

Here, Paul is using the possessive form to describe a good fight that could be: (1) the struggle of maintaining faith. Alternate translation: “the good fight to persist in faith” (2) caused by faith. Alternate translation: “that is caused by your faith” (3) the work of defending the faith, understood as Christianity and its teachings. Alternate translation: “the good fight for the faith”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τῆς πίστεως

˱of˲_the faith

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of faith, you could express the same idea in another way. Make sure that your translation fits with the option you chose in the previous note. Alternate translation: “to believe in Jesus”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐπιλαβοῦ τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς

take_hold ˱of˲_the eternal life

Here Paul tells Timothy to desire and focus on eternal life so much that it is like holding onto it firmly with his hands. Paul may be continuing the metaphor of an athlete who worked hard to win an event and now holds the trophy in his hands. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translations: “eagerly desire eternal life” or “do whatever is necessary to gain eternal life”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς

˱of˲_the ˱of˲_the eternal life

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of life, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “being able to live eternally”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐκλήθης

˱you˲_/were/_called

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who did the action, it is clear from the context that it was God. Alternate translation: “God called you”

Note 8 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

καὶ ὡμολόγησας

and ˱you˲_confessed

Here, the word and could introduce: (1) a second thing that Timothy experienced that is related to eternal life. Alternate translation: “and also for which you confessed” (2) when it was clear that Timothy was called to eternal life. Alternate translation: “when you confessed”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ὡμολόγησας τὴν καλὴν ὁμολογίαν

˱you˲_confessed the good confession

Here, the phrase the good confession refers to what Christians would say when they publicly declared that they were Christians. Most likely, they confessed that they considered Jesus to be Lord and that they believed in him. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “for which you confessed your faith in Jesus” or “for which you confessed the good confession that Jesus is Lord”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τὴν καλὴν ὁμολογίαν

the good confession

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of confession, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “the good things that we believe” or “the good things that you said”

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐνώπιον πολλῶν μαρτύρων

before many witnesses

Here Paul implies that Timothy’s confession of his faith was binding because these witnesses were present and could testify that he had made it. In your translation, you could use an expression in your language for a public, legal commitment. Alternate translation: “while many people were watching” or “in a public and binding way”