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1 Timothy 4:14
ESV Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
NIV Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
NASB Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was granted to you through words of prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders.
CSB Don't neglect the gift that is in you; it was given to you through prophecy, with the laying on of hands by the council of elders.
NLT Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.
KJV Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

What does 1 Timothy 4:14 mean?

Paul followed his commands regarding preaching and teaching with a reference to Timothy's "gift." He mentions this again in 2 Timothy 1:6: "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands." This likely took place in Lystra when Paul first planned to take Timothy with him into ministry. Timothy was gifted in leadership and teaching through "prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you." This prayer or ordination event must have been memorable, as Paul twice referred to it to encourage Timothy's leadership based on an event that happened around 15 years earlier.

Interestingly, Paul included himself in this council of elders (2 Timothy 1:6). Timothy would travel with him through Macedonia, Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea with Luke and Silas before staying in Berea with Silas (Acts 17:14). Timothy would later be with Silas in Macedonia and then rejoined Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:5) where they also ministered with Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:2) and likely ended up in Ephesus where he ministered for a longer period (Acts 18:19–21). Timothy would later go back to Macedonia (Acts 19:21–22) and Troas (Acts 20:4–5) and was later with Paul during his first imprisonment.
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