- Timothy or Timothy of Ephesus (Greek: Τιμόθεος; Timótheos, meaning “honouring God” or “honoured by God”) was an early Christian evangelist and the first Christian bishop of Ephesus, who tradition relates died around the year AD 97.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.
Matthew 12:20 NIV
- While included in the Pauline epistles of the New Testament, First and Second Timothy are considered by many biblical scholars to be pseudoepigraphical and not written by Paul.
- Timothy’s name appears as the co-author on 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon.
- The apocryphal Acts of Timothy states that in the year 97 AD, the 80-year-old bishop tried to halt a procession in honor of the goddess Diana by preaching the Gospel. The angry pagans beat him, dragged him through the streets, and stoned him to death.
- When Paul was in prison and awaiting martyrdom, he summoned his faithful friend Timothy for a last farewell.
- The New Testament indicates that Timothy traveled with Paul the Apostle, who was also his mentor.