SEV Biblia, Chapter 16:1
¶ Despus lleg a Derbe, y a Listra; y he aquí, estaba allí un discípulo llamado Timoteo, hijo de una mujer judía fiel, mas de padre gentil.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 16:1
Verse 1. A certain disciple] Bishop Pearce would read the latter part of this verse and the beginning of the next thus- A certain disciple named Timotheus, (the son of a certain Jewish woman that believed, but of a father who was a Greek,) who was well reported of by the brethren, &c. This Timothy was the same person to whom St. Paul wrote those two noble epistles which are still extant. His mother's name was Eunice, as we learn from 2 Tim. i. 5. What his father's name was we know not; he was either a mere heathen, or, at most, only a proselyte of the gate, who never submitted to circumcision: had he submitted to this rite, he would, no doubt, have circumcised his son; but the son being without it is a proof that the father was so too.
Some MSS. state that Timothy's mother was now a widow; but this does not appear to be well founded.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. Then came he to Derbe and Lystra , etc.] Which were cities of Lycaonia, ( Acts 14:6) after Paul had gone through Syria and Cilicia; in the last of these places, he had been stoned, and yet goes thither again; none of these things moved him from the preaching of the Gospel, and from the care of the churches, such zeal, courage, and intrepidity was he possessed of: and behold a certain disciple was there : a converted person, a believer in Christ, one that had learned to know and deny himself, and understood the way of salvation by Christ, and was a follower of him; whether the apostle was an instrument of his conversion, when he was before in these parts, is not certain, though probable, since he often calls him his son; nor is it so evident whether he was at Derbe or at Lystra, though the latter seems most likely, since a report was given of him by the brethren there, and at Iconium, when no mention is made of Derbe, in the following verse: named Timotheus ; or Timothy, the same person to whom afterwards the apostle wrote two epistles: it is a name much used among the Greeks, and his father was a Greek; one of this name, who was an historian among the Greeks, is frequently mentioned by Laertius f762 ; and there was another of this name, the son of Conon, an Athenian general f763 ; and another that was a captain or general of Antiochus, Afterward he passed over to the children of Ammon, where he found a mighty power, and much people, with Timotheus their captain. (1 Maccabees 5:6) Now Timotheus, whom the Jews had overcome before, when he had gathered a great multitude of foreign forces, and horses out of Asia not a few, came as though he would take Jewry by force of arms. (2 Maccabees 10:24) the name signifies one that honoured God, or was honoured by God; both were true in this disciple of Christ: the son of a certain woman which was a Jewess, and believed ; his mother was a Jewish woman, but a believer in Christ, her name was Eunice, ( Timothy 1:5) but his father was a Greek ; a Gentile, an uncircumcised one, and so he seems to have remained, by his sons not being circumcised.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Well may the church look for much service from youthful ministers wh set out in the same spirit as Timothy. But when men will submit i nothing, and oblige in nothing, the first elements of the Christia temper seem to be wanting; and there is great reason to believe tha the doctrines and precepts of the gospel will not be successfull taught. The design of the decree being to set aside the ceremonial law and its carnal ordinances, believers were confirmed in the Christia faith, because it set up a spiritual way of serving God, as suited to the nature both of God and man. Thus the church increased in number daily.
Greek Textus Receptus
κατηντησεν 2658 5656 V-AAI-3S δε 1161 CONJ εις 1519 PREP δερβην 1191 N-ASF και 2532 CONJ λυστραν 3082 N-ASF και 2532 CONJ ιδου 2400 5628 V-2AAM-2S μαθητης 3101 N-NSM τις 5100 X-NSM ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S εκει 1563 ADV ονοματι 3686 N-DSN τιμοθεος 5095 N-NSM υιος 5207 N-NSM γυναικος 1135 N-GSF τινος 5100 X-GSF ιουδαιας 2453 A-GSF πιστης 4103 A-GSF πατρος 3962 N-GSM δε 1161 CONJ ελληνος 1672 N-GSM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
16:1 {And he came also to Derbe and Lystra} (katentesen de kai eis derben kai eis lustran). First aorist active of katantaw, late verb to come down to, to arrive at. He struck Derbe first of the places in the first tour which was the last city reached qen. {Timothy} (timoqeos). Apparently a native of Lystra ("there," ekei), his Hebrew mother named Eunice and grandmother Lois (#2Ti 1:5) and his Greek father's name not known. He may have been a proselyte, but not necessarily so as Timothy was taught the Scriptures by his mother and grandmother (#2Ti 3:15), and, if a proselyte, he would have had Timothy circumcised. It is idle to ask if Paul came on purpose to get Timothy to take Mark's place. Probably Timothy was about eighteen years of age, a convert of Paul's former visit a few years before (#1Ti 1:2) and still young twelve years later (#1Ti 4:12). Paul loved him devotedly (#1Ti 1:3; 5:23; 2Ti 3:15; Php 2:19f.). It is a glorious discovery to find a real young preacher for Christ's work.
