1Ti 6:12 | JFB | STEP | 12. Fight the good fight-- Birks thinks this Epistle was written from Corinth, where contests in the national games recurred at stated seasons, which will account for the allusion here as in . Contrast "strifes of words" ( ). Compare ; . The "good profession" is connected with the good fight ( ). lay hold on eternal life-- the crown, or garland, the prize of victory, laid hold of by the winner in the "good fight" ( , ; ). "Fight (literally, 'strive') with such striving earnestness as to lay hold on the prize, eternal life." also-- not in the oldest manuscripts. professed a good profession-- Greek, "didst confess THE good confession," namely, the Christian confession (as the Greek word is the same in this verse as that for "confession" in , probably the profession here is the confession that Christ's kingdom is the kingdom of the truth, , ), at thy being set apart to thy ministerial function (whether in general, or as overseer at Ephesus): the same occasion as is referred to in ; ; . before many witnesses-- who would testify against thee if thou shouldest fall away [Bengel].

‏ 1 Timothy 6:12

12. Fight the good fight--Birks thinks this Epistle was written from Corinth, where contests in the national games recurred at stated seasons, which will account for the allusion here as in 1Co 9:24-26. Contrast "strifes of words" (1Ti 6:4). Compare 1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 4:7. The "good profession" is connected with the good fight (Psa 60:4).

lay hold on eternal life--the crown, or garland, the prize of victory, laid hold of by the winner in the "good fight" (2Ti 4:7, 8; Php 3:12-14). "Fight (literally, 'strive') with such striving earnestness as to lay hold on the prize, eternal life."

also--not in the oldest manuscripts.

professed a good profession--Greek, "didst confess THE good confession," namely, the Christian confession (as the Greek word is the same in this verse as that for "confession" in 1Ti 6:13, probably the profession here is the confession that Christ's kingdom is the kingdom of the truth, Joh 18:36, 37), at thy being set apart to thy ministerial function (whether in general, or as overseer at Ephesus): the same occasion as is referred to in 1Ti 1:18; 4:14; 2Ti 1:4.

before many witnesses--who would testify against thee if thou shouldest fall away [Bengel].