I Timothy 1:19 · Bible study
1 Timothy 1:19 Commentary: Faith, Conscience, and Shipwreck
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Paul warns that a deliberate rejection of good conscience leads to shipwreck of faith. Greek analysis of thrusting away and the faith.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Holding faith and a good conscience is essential; rejecting conscience destroys faith entirely.
- Key words: πίστις (pistin, faith/faithfulness), συνείδησις (suneidēsin, conscience), ἀπωθέω (apōtheō, thrust away violently), ναυαγέω (nauageō, suffer shipwreck).
- Main debate: Whether the first “faith” means personal trust or the body of doctrine, and whether those who shipwreck were ever true believers.
- Theological theme: The necessary bond between moral integrity and doctrinal fidelity; the possibility of falling away.
- Best use: A pastoral warning about the consequences of ignoring conscience, and an encouragement to maintain both belief and behaviour.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith.
WEB World English Bible 2000
holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith,
KJV King James Version 1769
Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust from them made shipwreck concerning the faith:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
having faith and a good conscience, which certain having thrust away, concerning the faith did make shipwreck,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
maintaining faith and a good conscience; which [last] some, having put away, have made shipwreck as to faith;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Having faith and a good conscience, which some rejecting have made shipwreck concerning the faith.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Manteniendo la fe y buena conciencia, la cual echando de sí algunos, hicieron naufragio en la fe:
mantendo a fé e a boa consciência, que alguns rejeitaram, e naufragaram na fé.
en gardant la foi et une bonne conscience. Cette conscience, quelques-uns l’ ont perdue, et ils ont fait naufrage par rapport à la foi.
und habest den Glauben und gutes Gewissen, welches etliche von sich gestoßen und am Glauben Schiffbruch erlitten haben;
Houdende het geloof, en een goed geweten, hetwelk sommigen verstoten hebbende, van het geloof schipbreuk geleden hebben;
avendo fede e buona coscienza; della quale alcuni avendo fatto getto, hanno naufragato quanto alla fede.
Mając wiarę i dobre sumienie, które niektórzy odrzuciwszy, szkodę podjęli w wierze;
имея веру и добрую совесть, которую некоторые отвергнув, потерпели кораблекрушение в вере;
常存 信心 和 無虧的 良心。 有人 丟棄良心，就在真道 上 如同船破壞了一般。
Keeping faith, and being conscious of well-doing; for some, by not doing these things, have gone wrong in relation to the faith:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Timothy 1:19
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that the verse ties faith and good conscience together and warns that a wilful rejection of conscience destroys doctrinal fidelity. Vincent's Word Studies notes that the relative pronoun "which" (ἥν) refers specifically to "good conscience," not to both elements. The participle ἀπωσάμενοι ("having thrust away") implies a forceful, violent act, as Adam Clarke puts it: like a foolish sailor throwing away the pilot, helm, and compass. The result is a shipwreck, total ruin. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges observe that the second occurrence of "faith" is preceded by the definite article (τὴν πίστιν) in Greek, distinguishing it as "the faith", the body of Christian doctrine. Thus the verse connects moral integrity directly to doctrinal stability. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown summarise: the loss of good conscience entails the shipwreck of faith. The call is to guard both conviction and conduct, knowing the one sustains the other.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Faith as personal trust vs. doctrinal content: Barnes reads the first 'faith' as fidelity/trust; Gill and Cambridge read it as the doctrine of faith.
- Reference of 'which' – conscience only or both: Vincent and grammar point to conscience alone; some interpret that both faith and conscience are thrust away.
- Status of those who shipwreck: were they ever true believers?: Wesley says yes; Gill argues they only had an external good conscience and never possessed saving grace.
What is clear: Deliberately rejecting a good conscience leads to destruction of one's faith, whether understood as personal trust or doctrinal adherence.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Reference of the relative pronoun 'which' (ἥν) | Grammatically, the singular feminine pronoun refers to 'good conscience' (Vincent, Cambridge). | Some commentators include 'faith' by implication, since losing conscience leads to losing faith; others keep the reference strictly to conscience alone (JFB, Barnes). |
| Meaning of 'faith' in the first clause | Faith is essential for the Christian life and ministry. | Barnes emphasises personal fidelity or trust; Gill and Cambridge see the doctrine of faith as the primary sense, consistent with the use in the Pastorals. |
| Whether those who made shipwreck were ever true believers | They once professed faith and had a conscience, at least outwardly. | Wesley argues they were once genuine believers who fell finally. Gill maintains they only had an external show of conscience and never possessed saving grace, so the shipwreck is of a profession, not salvation. |
| Significance of the definite article before 'faith' in the second clause | τὴν πίστιν refers to the body of Christian doctrine, 'the faith' (Cambridge, Gill). | Some see a distinction between the first 'faith' (personal trust) and the second 'the faith' (doctrinal content); others argue for semantic overlap. Commentators like Barnes reduce the distinction. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul wrote this letter to Timothy while he oversaw the church in Ephesus. The opening chapters confront false teachers who distort the law and promote myths (1:3, 7). In verse 18 Paul returns to the direct charge: Timothy must "wage the good warfare" by holding faith and a good conscience. This pairing appears only in the Pastoral Epistles (Vincent), reflecting a practical concern: right belief cannot survive without right living. The nautical metaphor of shipwreck would resonate in a port city like Ephesus. The Greek verb ναυαγέω ("make shipwreck") is used elsewhere by Paul for literal shipwreck (2 Corinthians 11:25); here it is figurative for total spiritual ruin.
Paul immediately cites Hymenaeus and Alexander (verse 20) as examples of those who rejected conscience and thereby lost the faith. These men likely represent the false teachers troubling Timothy's congregation. The verse thus serves as a stark warning that moral compromise leads to doctrinal collapse. For Timothy, and for every minister of the gospel, the charge is clear: keep conscience clean, so that faith remains steady.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse.
Reception History
This verse has been interpreted in discussions of apostasy and the relation between ethics and doctrine. The early church used it to warn against moral laxity that opens the door to heresy. During the Reformation and Protestant scholasticism, it figured in debates over the perseverance of the saints. Wesley (Methodist) cited it as evidence that true believers can fall away finally, while Gill (Reformed Baptist) argued that the shipwreck applies to a profession of faith, not to saving grace. The nautical metaphor has been taken up in pastoral admonition across traditions, emphasising the fragility of faith when conscience is neglected.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The positive combination: holding faith and a good conscience as essential for ministry.
- The fatal action: some thrust away conscience with deliberate violence, like a crew discarding the compass.
- The tragic result: shipwreck concerning the faith, total destruction of doctrinal allegiance.
Five-point outline
- The warfare: ministry as a fight against error and sin.
- The weapons: faith (the truth believed) and good conscience (moral integrity).
- The warning: some reject the conscience, pushing it away as a troublesome monitor.
- The wreck: the consequence is ruin of faith, whether personal trust or the creed.
- The example: Hymenaeus and Alexander, delivered to Satan, show the reality of the warning.
Illustration hooks
- A sailor ignores his compass because he wants to travel his own route; soon he is on the rocks. Ignoring conscience is the first step to losing direction completely.
- A doctor who begins to cut ethical corners eventually loses the ability to diagnose accurately; small compromises in integrity erode professional competence.
- A student who cheats on a small assignment finds it easier to cheat again, until the habit destroys all trustworthiness. Conscience silently sacrificed leads to larger failure.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Can a Christian lose their salvation? How does this verse speak to that question?
- What is the connection between how I live and what I believe? Is it possible to hold right doctrine and live wrongly?
- How can I tell if I am drifting away from the faith? What signs should I watch for in my conscience?
Leading a Discussion
This verse challenges us to consider the inseparable link between our moral choices and our faith. Paul warns that a deliberate rejection of a good conscience leads to shipwreck of faith. For a small group, this passage invites honest reflection on how we guard our inward lives.
Discussion questions
- What does the verse say about the relationship between faith and conscience? Are they connected or separate?
- The Greek participle ἀπωσάμενοι means "having thrust away." What kind of action does this describe? How is it different from simply making a mistake?
- Why does Paul use the image of a shipwreck? What does that suggest about the finality or seriousness of the outcome?
- The second "faith" appears with the definite article in Greek (τὴν πίστιν), often translated "the faith." How does that affect our understanding of what is lost?
- Look at the two named examples in verse 20: Hymenaeus and Alexander. What do their cases add to the warning? What does it mean to be "delivered to Satan"?
- In what areas of life are you most tempted to ignore or push away your conscience? What small compromises might be dangerous?
- How can a Christian community help one another maintain a good conscience without becoming judgmental or legalistic?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 6:27 | “Which of you by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? |
| I Corinthians 11:19 | For there also must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be revealed among you. |
| Galatians 1:6 | I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”, |
| Galatians 1:8 | But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed. |
| Galatians 5:4 | You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace. |
| Philippians 3:18 | For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, |
| Philippians 3:19 | whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things. |
| I Timothy 1:5 | But the goal of this command is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke pictures faith and a good conscience as the Christian's shield and breastplate, and the only reliable pilot and compass. Those who deliberately thrust them away lose all guidance and are tossed by every wind of teaching until they are shipwrecked and destroyed.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that "holding faith" here means the fidelity of a soldier to his cause, not primarily adherence to doctrine. He stresses that people make shipwreck of their faith by setting aside a good conscience—they choose sin and passion, and rejecting the gospel follows naturally. For Barnes, infidelity begins in moral surrender, not intellectual doubt.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator draws a sharp distinction between two uses of "faith" in the passage: personal trust in God and the body of Christian doctrine, the creed. He also notes that "having put away" means a deliberate, forceful thrusting away, like throwing away a ship's rudder and compass.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize that faith and a good conscience are inseparable. Rejecting a clear conscience is not a minor failing but a direct cause of spiritual ruin: it makes shipwreck of faith itself.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill distinguishes "faith" here as the doctrine of faith, not saving faith itself, and "good conscience" as upright conduct, especially in ministers. He argues that putting away a good conscience means rejecting it with contempt, not necessarily having lost true grace. Even shipwreck of faith, he notes, does not prove final loss, since a shipwrecked person can be saved.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB compares faith to a precious liquor and good conscience to the clean glass that holds it. Putting away good conscience is a willful act, thrusting away a troublesome monitor. This causes shipwreck with respect to the faith itself, not necessarily the loss of one's personal faith.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the prophecies at Timothy's ordination not as mere hopes but as supernatural Spirit-given utterances. He stresses that Timothy's warfare is specifically as a leader against heretics, not the general Christian struggle. Faith and conscience are inner weapons that must be guarded to avoid shipwreck.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry stresses that the ministry is a good warfare fought under Christ's banner, and that the prophecies spoken over Timothy should drive him to faithful service. He warns that discarding a good conscience inevitably leads to shipwrecking one's faith.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent stresses that "holding" means holding fast with determination, not just having. He notes that the phrase "faith and a good conscience" occurs only in the Pastoral Epistles. He also emphasizes that "having thrust away" implies a violent rejection of conscience, and that the shipwreck image is a rare nautical metaphor in Paul.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley uses the image of faith as precious liquor held in a clean glass, which is a good conscience. He argues that those who knowingly push away a good conscience make a complete and final shipwreck of their faith, even if they were once true believers. A wrecked ship cannot be saved again.