What Does 1 Timothy 5:21 Mean in the King James?
I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Partiality begins as a lean: judgment can already be tilted before it shows in what you do.
THE MEANING
You stand under a solemn charge before God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels. The charge reaches both the verdict formed in advance and the actions that lean toward one person.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the belief that partiality begins only when bias becomes visible: it names the prior verdict that can already bend what follows.
THE ROOT
πρόσκλισις
prosklisis
GROWS FROM
κλίνω
klinō
to bend, incline, or lean
The Greek word pictures a leaning toward someone. Partiality is more than a stated preference: judgment has shifted its weight toward one person.
ALSO GROWS
prosklinō: to lean toward, incline oneself to
προσκλίνω
This compound makes the verse’s image explicit: partiality is a directional lean toward someone.
klinē: bed, couch; a place to recline
κλίνη
This related word preserves the physical sense of reclining; the abstract bias still carries an image of weight shifting to one side.
πρόκριμα
prokrima
GROWS FROM
κρίνω
krinō
to separate, decide, or judge
“preferring one before another” in this verse is prokrima. This word names a judgment made beforehand. Beside the next clause’s image of leaning toward someone, it exposes two layers: the verdict can tilt before any action is taken.
ALSO GROWS
prokrinō: to judge beforehand, prefer
προκρίνω
The prefix carries the sense of deciding in advance, which is precisely what the verse excludes.
krima: a decision, judgment, or verdict
κρίμα
This branch shows the judgment root carried into the verdict itself, before it shapes conduct.
THE PATTERN
Fair judgment is bent both by verdicts reached in advance and by favor toward a person’s status or face.
Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.THE THREAD
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:The charge places your judgment before God, and Acts names impartiality as God’s own way. The reader’s judgment stands under the same impartiality the verse attributes to God.
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