1 Timothy · Chapter 6 · Faith
1 Timothy 6:12 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses."
KJV · King James Version
"Fight75 the good2570 fight73 of faith4102, lay hold on1949 eternal166 life2222, whereunto1519 3739 thou art2564 also2532 called2564, and2532 hast professed3670 a good2570 profession3671 before1799 many4183 witnesses3144."
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses lay, whereunto, thou, art, while the WEB renders these as take, which, you, were. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
1 Timothy 6:12 in 1 Timothy 6
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is 1 Timothy 6:12 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of 1 Timothy 6. Read the full chapter →
- v.10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
- v.11 But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
- v.12 Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.
- v.13 I command you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession,
- v.14 that you keep the commandment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Book background
About the Book of 1 Timothy
- Testament
- New Testament
- Genre
- Pauline epistle
- Author
- Paul
- Date written
- c. 62–64 AD
- Audience
- Timothy, Paul's young protégé pastoring at Ephesus
- Chapters
- 6
1 Timothy is a pastoral handbook — instructions on confronting false teaching, qualifications for elders and deacons, the conduct of public worship, the care of widows, and personal holiness for a young pastor. Its declaration that "godliness with contentment is great gain" (6:6) defines Paul's spiritual economy.
Setting: A pastoral letter on leading a healthy church.
Key themes: leadership · sound doctrine · worship · church order · godliness
Memorisation aid
How to memorise 1 Timothy 6:12
1 Timothy 6:12 contains 29 words in 3 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
Fight the good fight of faith
FTGFOF
- 2
Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called
THOTEL
- 3
and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.
AYCTGC
Frequently asked
FAQ about 1 Timothy 6:12
What does 1 Timothy 6:12 say?
1 Timothy 6:12 reads: "Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses." — from the New Testament, 1 Timothy (Pauline epistle). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is 1 Timothy 6:12 in?
1 Timothy 6:12 is in the book of 1 Timothy, traditionally attributed to Paul and written around c. 62–64 AD. 1 Timothy is pauline epistle in the New Testament, originally addressed to Timothy, Paul's young protégé pastoring at Ephesus. Best known for qualifications for church leaders and "godliness with contentment is great gain".
What is 1 Timothy 6:12 about?
1 Timothy 6:12 is primarily a Bible verse about Faith. Within 1 Timothy, 1 Timothy is a pastoral handbook — instructions on confronting false teaching, qualifications for elders and deacons, the conduct of public worship, the care of widows, and personal holiness for a young pastor. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between 1 Timothy 6:12 in WEB and KJV?
1 Timothy 6:12 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "Fight75 the good2570 fight73 of faith4102, lay hold on1949 eternal166 life2222, whereunto1519 3739 thou art2564 also2532 called2564, and2532 hast professed3670 a good2570 profession3671 before1799 many4183 witnesses3144.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is 1 Timothy 6:12?
1 Timothy 6:12 is 29 words in the WEB translation (156 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 9 seconds.
How can I memorise 1 Timothy 6:12?
To memorise 1 Timothy 6:12, split it into its 3 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does 1 Timothy 6:12 matter in 1 Timothy?
1 Timothy is a pastoral handbook — instructions on confronting false teaching, qualifications for elders and deacons, the conduct of public worship, the care of widows, and personal holiness for a young pastor. Its declaration that "godliness with contentment is great gain" (6:6) defines Paul's spiritual economy. 1 Timothy 6:12 sits within this larger story — 1 Timothy as a whole emphasises leadership, sound doctrine, worship.
How can I apply 1 Timothy 6:12 today?
Many readers use 1 Timothy 6:12 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download 1 Timothy 6:12 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
More designs
10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
-
Psalms 23:1
“A Psalm by David. Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.”
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-
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
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-
Philippians 4:13
“I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”
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Romans 8:28
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
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Matthew 6:33
“But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.”
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1 John 4:8
“He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.”
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Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.”
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-
Psalm 23:1
“Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.”
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-
Proverbs 3:6
“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
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-
Matthew 7:7
““Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.”
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More featured verses in 1 Timothy 6
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1 Timothy 4:12
“Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.”
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1 Timothy 2:1
“I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks, be made for all men:”
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1 Timothy 1:7
“desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.”
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