1 Timothy 5:24 kjv
Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
1 Timothy 5:24 nkjv
Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later.
1 Timothy 5:24 niv
The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.
1 Timothy 5:24 esv
The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.
1 Timothy 5:24 nlt
Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later.
1 Timothy 5 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Tim 5:24 | Some men's sins are evident beforehand, | |
| Gal 5:19 | Now the works of the flesh are evident: fornication, uncleanness, | Clearly defines sinful works |
| Rom 3:23 | for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, | Universal sinfulness |
| Isa 64:6 | But we are all like an unclean thing, | All are sinners |
| Prov 14:12 | There is a way that seems right to a man, | Deceptive nature of sin |
| Heb 4:13 | And no creature is hidden from his sight, | God's omniscience |
| Ps 139:1-12 | O LORD, you have searched me and known me. | God's all-seeing nature |
| Luke 8:17 | For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, | Eventual exposure of sin |
| Eccl 12:14 | For God will bring every deed into judgment, | Future judgment |
| Rev 20:12 | And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, | Final judgment |
| Rom 2:5-6 | but after your hardness and impenitent heart you are treasuring up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each according to his works: | God's righteous judgment |
| Matt 16:27 | For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each according to what he has done. | Jesus' recompense |
| 1 Cor 4:5 | Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the hearts. | Judgment is God's role |
| Ps 90:8 | You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance. | God sees all sins |
| Acts 5:1-11 | The case of Ananias and Sapphira demonstrates sins that brought immediate judgment. | Immediate judgment example |
| 2 Sam 12:1-14 | David's sin with Bathsheba was initially hidden but later exposed with severe consequences. | Hidden sins exposed |
| Rom 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. | Consequence of sin |
| 1 John 1:9 | If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. | Forgiveness of sins |
| Titus 2:11-14 | For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people zealous for good deeds. | Grace leads to godly living |
| John 3:36 | Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. | Consequences of unbelief |
1 Timothy 5 verses
1 Timothy 5 24 Meaning
Some sins are obvious and lead to judgment immediately, while others are not apparent until later. The ultimate consequence of all sin, regardless of its visibility, is separation from God.
1 Timothy 5 24 Context
This verse appears in 1 Timothy, a letter from the Apostle Paul to his young protégé Timothy. Paul is giving instructions on church leadership and conduct within the Christian community. Specifically, this passage is part of a section dealing with the treatment of widows and the qualifications and discipline of elders. Paul emphasizes that actions have consequences, and while some sins are outwardly apparent and may lead to immediate judgment within the community or in life, others may not be revealed until the final judgment by God. The overarching theme is righteous living and the importance of a pure testimony for believers and church leaders.
1 Timothy 5 24 Word Analysis
- "Some" (τίνες - tines): Indefinite pronoun. Indicates that not all sins are immediately obvious. It implies a partiality or a selection, referring to specific individuals whose sins are known.
- "men's" (ἀνθρώπων - anthropon): Genitive plural of ἄνθρωπος (anthropos), meaning "man" or "human being." Refers to individuals, not exclusively males but people in general.
- "sins" (ἁμαρτιῶν - hamartion): Genitive plural of ἁμαρτία (hamartia), meaning "sin," "error," or "offense." It signifies transgressions against God's law.
- "are evident" (προδήλων – prodēlon): Predicate adjective. Derived from πρό (pro, "before") and δῆλος (dēlos, "clear," "manifest"). Means "plain beforehand," "manifest," or "obvious." These are sins that are publicly known or readily seen through actions.
- "beforehand" (πρό - pro): Preposition. Here it means "before" or "ahead of time," emphasizing the immediacy or prior visibility of these sins. It sets up a contrast with sins that follow.
- "and" (δὲ – de): Conjunction. Used here for transition and contrast. It connects the first part of the sentence with the second, showing a contrasting situation.
- "in some" (ἐν δὲ τισι - en de tisi): "But in some." 'Ev' (en) means "in," "among." 'Dē' (de) is a contrasting conjunction. 'Tisi' (tisi) is the dative plural of tis, "some." This points to other individuals, implying that the situation of sin is not uniform across all people.
- "also" (καὶ – kai): Conjunction. Adds emphasis or links related ideas.
- "afterward" (ὕστερον – hysteron): Adverb. Means "later," "afterwards." It refers to a subsequent time, implying sins that are not immediately apparent.
- "are evident" (ἐνδεικνύνται – endeiknyntai): Verb, present passive indicative, 3rd person plural of ἐνδεικνύω (endeiknyō). Means "to point out," "to show forth," "to indicate," or "to be evident." It suggests that these sins will be made known or will manifest themselves in due course.
Group Analysis:
- "Some men's sins are evident beforehand": This clause highlights that certain wrongdoings are immediately recognizable. They are manifest by their actions and do not require special investigation to uncover. These might be publicly known sins that have already led to consequences or exposed character flaws.
- "and even afterward are evident": The word "even" (implied in the emphatic sense of "and afterward") coupled with "evident" suggests that sins not immediately apparent will also come to light. The "afterward" implies a delayed manifestation. This could refer to sins whose consequences are delayed, or sins that will be revealed in a future judgment. The continuous nature of "are evident" (present tense) implies ongoing or eventual clear manifestation. The phrase points to a thoroughness in God's justice where all deeds will eventually be known and judged.
1 Timothy 5 24 Bonus Section
The theological concept behind this verse relates to God's omniscience and His eventual, perfect justice. While human judgment often relies on outward appearances and immediate evidence, God's judgment is based on perfect knowledge of the heart and all actions (1 Sam 16:7; Heb 4:12-13). The contrasting "beforehand" and "afterward" can be understood in two ways: 1) sins that are evident from the start and those that become evident later in life, and 2) sins that are judged in this life and sins that are reserved for the final judgment. Both interpretations underscore the certainty that all sin will be accounted for, whether its exposure is immediate or deferred. This serves as a sober reminder to believers and leaders alike about the gravity of sin and the certainty of God's righteous judgment.
1 Timothy 5 24 Commentary
Paul’s observation in this verse speaks to the varied ways sin operates and is revealed in human lives and before God. Some sins, like acts of public immorality or deceit, are immediately obvious to the community. These may lead to swift consequences within the church or society, such as discipline or reputational damage, as Paul had previously discussed regarding elders (1 Tim 5:19-20). However, other sins are hidden. They may be secret habits, unconfessed desires, or carefully concealed acts of hypocrisy. These sins might not be visible to human eyes and may not result in immediate earthly repercussions. Yet, Paul emphasizes that they, too, will ultimately be made manifest. The ultimate "evidence" and judgment will be at the eschatological event, where God will bring all deeds, hidden or known, into his perfect light for final accountability. This is not to say God is ignorant of hidden sins; rather, it refers to their eventual, unavoidable exposure and the consistent standard of divine justice applied to all transgressions. This understanding calls for personal integrity and awareness that God sees all.