The Apostolic Fathers · AD 70–130

Timothy of Lystra

d. c. 97 (trad., Ephesus) · Paul’s “own son in the faith” · Delegate of the churches · Lystra → Ephesus

The Apostolic Fathers

Timothy of Lystra — historical depiction 1
Timothy of LystraUnknown author Unknown author · Public domain · Commons
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Timothy of Lystra — historical depiction 1

Timothy of LystraUnknown author Unknown author · Public domain · Commons

Who Timothy of Lystra was

Son of a Greek father and the Jewish believer Eunice, reared on scripture by his grandmother Lois, recruited by Paul at Lystra and thereafter his most-used instrument: co-sender of six letters, emissary to Thessalonica, Corinth, and Philippi (“I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state”), and recipient of the two letters that organized the post-apostolic ministry. “Let no man despise thy youth.” Hebrews reports his release from an unrecorded imprisonment. Eusebius makes him first bishop of Ephesus; the Acts of Timothy has the old man beaten to death by the mob of the Katagogia festival under Nerva, c. 97.

Common questions

When did Timothy die?

Timothy of Lystra is dated d. c. 97 (trad., Ephesus) in the archive, which places Timothy in the Apostolic Fathers (AD 70–130). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.

What did Timothy write?

Timothy of Lystra has 1 catalogued writing in the archive: Co-sender of the Pauline letters.

Which early sources mention Timothy?

Timothy of Lystra is named in 4 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Paul, The author of Hebrews, Eusebius of Caesarea and The Constitutions' compiler. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.

Where was Timothy from?

The archive associates Timothy of Lystra with Lystra, Ephesus. The sources record more than one location, so the places are listed in the order the record moves through them.

Writings (1)

Co-sender of the Pauline letters

Named at the head of six epistles, Thessalonica to Philemon
Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Read the full text ↗

Scripture record

Primary-source mentions (4)

Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.

Philippians 2:20

c. AD 55
For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
Paul · read ↗

Hebrews 13:23

c. AD 65
Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty.
The author of Hebrews · read ↗

Ecclesiastical History III.4

c. AD 325
Timothy, so it is recorded, was the first to receive the episcopate of the parish in Ephesus, as was Titus of the churches in Crete.
Eusebius of Caesarea · III.4 · source text

Apostolic Constitutions VII.46 (first bishop of Ephesus, ordained by Paul)

c. AD 380
Of Ephesus, Timotheus, ordained by Paul; and John, by me John.
The Constitutions' compiler · Apostolic Constitutions VII.46 · source text

Connected in the archive

People

Events in this lifetime

Place

Places served

The 10 places the sources put Timothy, in the order the record moves through them. This is what the sources attest, not a reconstructed route.

  1. 1LystraWell reported of by the brethren thereActs 16:1–2
  2. 2DerbeOf that country, and circumcised by PaulActs 16:1–3
  3. 3TroasAmong those who went before to TroasActs 20:4–5
  4. 4PhilippiNamed with Paul in the letter to the churchPhilippians 1:1
  5. 5ThessalonicaSent back to establish them1 Thessalonians 3:2
  6. 6BereaLeft there with SilasActs 17:14
  7. 7CorinthPreached there with Paul and Silvanus2 Corinthians 1:19
  8. 8EphesusLeft in charge of the church1 Timothy 1:3
  9. 9JerusalemWent ahead with the collection partyActs 20:4
  10. 10RomeNamed with Paul in the letters from his imprisonmentColossians 1:1; Philemon 1

See these places on the atlas →