{14} Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

(14) Now he returns to that exhortation, showing what are the true virtues of a pastor, by which he may come to be reverenced even though he is young, that is, such speech and life as are witnesses of charity, zeal, faith, and purity. But here there is no mention made of the hooked staff, ring, cloak, and such other foolish and childish toys.

People's New Testament

4:12 Let no man despise thy youth. The remainder of the chapter is personal. Timothy was much younger than Paul, much younger than most of the presbyters, but he must have been fully thirty-five years old. He was converted about A.D. 46 and was then a young man, quite young, according to the ideas of that age, to be over presbyters. In A.D. 51, Paul had taken him away from home (Ac 16:1-3). I suppose that he must have been twenty at that time. If so, he was from thirty-five to thirty-eight years old at this time.

Be thou an example of the believers. So should every preacher be, and in all the characteristics which follow.

Wesley's Notes

4:12 Let no one have reason to despise thee for thy youth. To prevent this, Be a pattern in word - Public and private. In spirit - In your whole temper. In faith - When this is placed in the midst of several other Christian graces, it generally means a particular branch of it; fidelity or faithfulness.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

12. Let no man despise thy youth-Act so as to be respected in spite of thy youth (1Co 16:11; Tit 2:15); compare "youthful" as to Timothy (2Ti 2:22). He was but a mere youth when he joined Paul (Ac 16:1-3). Eleven years had elapsed since then to the time subsequent to Paul's first imprisonment. He was, therefore, still young; especially in comparison with Paul, whose place he was filling; also in relation to elderly presbyters whom he should "entreat as a father" (1Ti 5:1), and generally in respect to his duties in rebuking, exhorting, and ordaining (1Ti 3:1), which ordinarily accord best with an elderly person (1Ti 5:19).

be thou an example-Greek, "become a pattern" (Tit 2:7); the true way of making men not to despise (slight, or disregard) thy youth.

in word-in all that thou sayest in public and private.

conversation-that is, "behavior" the Old English sense of the word.

in charity . faith-the two cardinal principles of the Christian (Ga 5:6). The oldest manuscripts omit, "in spirit."

in purity-simplicity of holy motive followed out in consistency of holy action [Alford] (1Ti 5:22; 2Co 6:6; Jas 3:17; 4:8; 1Pe 1:22).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

4:11-16 Men's youth will not be despised, if they keep from vanities and follies. Those who teach by their doctrine, must teach by their life. Their discourse must be edifying; their conversation must be holy; they must be examples of love to God and all good men, examples of spiritual-mindedness. Ministers must mind these things as their principal work and business. By this means their profiting will appear in all things, as well as to all persons; this is the way to profit in knowledge and grace, and also to profit others. The doctrine of a minister of Christ must be scriptural, clear, evangelical, and practical; well stated, explained, defended, and applied. But these duties leave no leisure for wordly pleasures, trifling visits, or idle conversation, and but little for what is mere amusement, and only ornamental. May every believer be enabled to let his profiting appear unto all men; seeking to experience the power of the gospel in his own soul, and to bring forth its fruits in his life.