Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Let no man despise thy youth—Act so as to be respected in spite of thy youth (I Corinthians 16:11; Titus 2:15); compare "youthful" as to Timothy (II Timothy 2:22). He was but a mere youth when he joined Paul (Acts 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" (I Timothy 5:1), and generally in respect to his duties in rebuking, exhorting, and ordaining (I Timothy 3:1), which ordinarily accord best with an elderly person (I Timothy 5:19).
be thou an example—Greek, "become a pattern" (Titus 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 (Galatians 5:6). The oldest manuscripts omit, "in spirit."
in purity—simplicity of holy motive followed out in consistency of holy action [ALFORD] (I Timothy 5:22; II Corinthians 6:6; James 3:17; James 4:8; I Peter 1:22).
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing 1 Timothy 4:12:
Acts 16:1-5
1 Corinthians 16:11
1 Thessalonians 1:1
1 Thessalonians 3:2
1 Timothy 4:6
1 Timothy 4:15
1 Timothy 4:15
1 Timothy 4:16
1 Timothy 5:1
2 Timothy 1:7
2 Timothy 2:22
Titus 2:15
Hebrews 13:7
1 Peter 5:3
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