When was 1 Timothy written?

Answer

The apostle Paul believed, taught, and defended sound biblical doctrine. The gospel formed the foundation of his ministry. As part of his calling, Paul championed the truth of Jesus Christ and confronted false teaching when it threatened the church. In 1 Timothy, Paul instructs Timothy to promote sound teaching and guard the church from error. Paul wrote 1 Timothy after his release from house arrest in Rome, between AD 62 and 64, during the later years of his ministry.

Paul’s own words in 1 Timothy reveal the setting of the letter, which helps determine when he wrote it. Paul tells Timothy, “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may comm and certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer” (1 Timothy 1:3). This detail indicates that Paul had traveled to Macedonia and had left Timothy behind to address false teaching in the Ephesian church. It is likely that, while Paul continued his ministry in Macedonia, he heard reports of the situation in Ephesus that prompted him to write 1 Timothy.

Another piece of evidence comes from the book of Acts, which records that Paul spent two years under house arrest in Rome, preaching the gospel “with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:30–31). The book of Acts concludes there, but early church tradition suggests that Paul was released and continued his ministry for a short time before his final imprisonment. Titus 1:5 provides more insight, as Paul reminds Titus that he had left him in Crete “to appoint elders in every town.” This detail adds to the information found in Acts. Taken together, these passages build a timeframe for when 1 Timothy was written. They suggest that Paul wrote the letter between AD 62 and 64, during the period between his release from house arrest and his final imprisonment and martyrdom.

The internal evidence of the letter also supports Paul as its author. He identifies himself in the greeting: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the comm and of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope” (1 Timothy 1:1). He reflects on his past, writing, “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man” (1 Timothy 1:13), and he expresses deep affection toward Timothy (1 Timothy 1:18; cf. Acts 16:1–3; Philippians 2:19–22). These personal references reinforce that the letter was written by Paul himself to Timothy.

In addition to the internal evidence, the early church affirmed Pauline authorship. Early church leaders such as Irenaeus(AD 130—200), Tertullian(AD 155—220), and Origen(AD 184—253) referred to the letter as Paul’s. These church fathers cited 1 Timothy as authoritative Scripture and used it to defend sound doctrine in their writings. Their recognition of the letter demonstrates its early and widespread acceptance in the church.

Writing with a pastor’s heart between AD 62 and 64, Paul urged Timothy to commit to sound teaching and godly leadership. He wrote, “The goal of this comm and is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5). The letter calls Christians in every generation to remain steadfast in the truth of Jesus Christ.