Saint Timothy

Saint Timothy (flourished 1st century ad), Christian missionary, and intimate friend and trusted disciple of Saint Paul. Timothy was born in Lystra, near Konya, Turkey, in the ancient district of Lycaonia, the son of a Gentile father and a Jewish mother. The circumstances of his conversion to Christianity are unknown. To avoid offense to the Jews he was circumcised (see Acts 16:3).

As assistant to Paul, Timothy was entrusted with several important missions to churches that Paul had founded. At the Greek cities of Berea (now Vérroia; see Acts 17:13-14), Athens, Thessalonica (see 1 Thessalonians 3:1-6), and Corinth, later at Ephesus (see 1 Corinthians 4:17, 16:10), and again in the Roman province of Macedonia (see Acts 19:21-22), he rendered important services, and he is linked with Paul in the salutations of several of Paul's Epistles. His important and delicate mission to Corinth, however, seems to have been unsuccessful (see Corinthians).

Although Timothy went to Jerusalem with Paul (see Acts 20:4), he probably was engaged in activities elsewhere when Paul embarked for Rome. During Paul's first imprisonment in Rome, Timothy visited him and was probably sent with a message to Philippi (see Philippians 2:19). According to the traditional interpretation of 1 and 2 Timothy, after Paul's release he joined Timothy in the East and later left him in charge at Ephesus, a position of great responsibility. In his anxiety Paul wrote the letter of advice and warning known as 1 Timothy. When Paul was imprisoned the second time, and probably not long before his death, he wrote 2 Timothy, summoning his beloved disciple to come to him as quickly as possible (see Timothy and Titus).

At some later date Timothy himself was arrested but afterward released (see Hebrews 13:23). According to tradition he became bishop of Ephesus and was martyred there when he objected to a licentious pagan festival. His traditional feast day is January 24.