What does 2 Timothy 1:3 mean?
Paul's prayers of thanks for Timothy are offered to the same God served by both Paul and his ancestors. This one phrase offers several key themes. Paul points out that his service is to the same God as his Jewish ancestors. It's important to remember that Jesus Christ did not come as a change in God's plan, but the fulfillment of the plan God had from the very beginning. Paul's Jewish heritage was one of hope, looking forward to the coming Messiah. These words clearly connect Paul's ancestry with the importance of Timothy's godly family line in verse 5.Paul's prayers were sincere. He also stresses "a clear conscience," something Paul mentions elsewhere in his writings (Acts 24:16; 1 Timothy 3:9; Hebrews 13:18). Likewise, Paul spoke of his constant prayer in other letters (Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 1:3–4; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; Philemon 1:4), noting prayer as one of his major activities and ministries. The reference to "night and day" was the common Jewish way of referring to an entire day (as in Genesis 1), since for Jews the day began at sunset.