SEV Biblia, Chapter 6:12
Pelea la buena batalla de la fe, echa mano de la vida eterna, a la cual así mismo eres llamado, habiendo hecho buena profesin delante de muchos testigos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Timothy 6:12
Verse 12. Fight the good fight of faith] "Agonize the good agony." Thou hast a contest to sustain in which thy honour, thy life, thy soul, are at stake. Live the Gospel, and defend the cause of God. Unmask hypocrites, expel the profligate, purge and build up the Church, live in the spirit of thy religion, and give thyself wholly to this work. Lay hold on eternal life] All this is in allusion to the exercises in the public Grecian games: Fight, conquer, and seize upon the prize; carry off the crown of eternal life! Whereunto thou art also called] The allusion to the public games is still carried on: Thou hast been called into this palaestra; thou hast been accepted as one proper to enter the lists with any antagonists that may offer; in the presence of many witnesses thou hast taken the necessary engagements upon thee, and submitted to be governed by the laws of the stadium; many eyes are upon thee, to see whether thou wilt fight manfully, and be faithful. Timothy's faith was undoubtedly tried by severe persecution. In Heb. xiii. 23, it is said: Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty. Hence it appears that he was imprisoned for the testimony of Christ, and perhaps it was then, more than at his ordination, that he made the good confession here mentioned. He risked his life and conquered. If not a martyr, he was a confessor.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. Fight the good fight of faith , etc.] The apostle suggests to Timothy, that he had other business to do than to mind the things of this world; his life was a state of warfare; he was a soldier, and was not to entangle himself with the things of this life; he had many enemies to engage with, as Satan, and his principalities and powers; sin, and the lusts of the flesh; the world, and the men of it, and a great fight of afflictions to endure with them; as also false teachers, with, whom particularly he was to fight the good fight of faith, that so the truth of the Gospel, which they resisted, might continue with the saints. This fight is called the fight of faith; partly in opposition to the law, and to hrwt l htmjlm , the fight, or war of the law the Jews so much talk of; and in which the false teachers, in the apostle's time, were so much engaged, and against whom the apostles set themselves; and partly because the doctrine of faith, the faith of the Gospel, the faith once delivered to the saints, is what they earnestly contended, strove, and fought for; and because the grace of faith, as conversant with the Scriptures of truth, was the weapon they fought with: and this may be called a good fight, because it is in a good cause, the cause of God and truth; and under a good Captain, Jesus Christ the Captain of our salvation; for which good weapons are provided, even the whole armour of God, and which are not carnal, but spiritual and mighty; to which may be added, that those who are engaged in this fight may be sure of victory, and the crown of glory, life, and righteousness: so that when they have done fighting they have nothing else to do but to lay hold on eternal life ; as Timothy for his encouragement is here bid to do. Eternal life is the prize of the high calling of God, which is held up, and held forth to those who are fighting the Lord's battles; and this they should look unto as the recompense of reward; and this they may lay hold upon, even now by faith, believing their interest in it, their right unto it, and that they shall enjoy it; of which they may be the more assured, because of their effectual calling: whereunto thou art also called ; not barely by the external ministration of the Gospel, in which sense many are called, but few chosen and saved; but internally, by the special grace and power of the Spirit of God; and such who are so called, are not only called to grace, but to eternal glory; and the God of all grace, who has called unto it, of his sovereign good will and pleasure, is faithful, and will bestow it. The word also is left out in the Alexandrian copy, and in the Vulgate Latin, and in all the Oriental versions; but it seems to be emphatic, and is used to strengthen Timothy's faith, as to the enjoyment of eternal life; since it was not only the reward of grace, following upon the good fight of faith, but was that also to which he was called by the grace of God: and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses ; both before the brethren at Lystra, at his baptism and admission into the church, before whom he gave an account of his faith, and made a profession of it; and who, upon this, and his agreeable life and conversation, gave a good report of him to the Apostle Paul, ( Acts 16:1,2) and before the apostle, and the rest of the elders, when they laid their hands on him, whereby an extraordinary gift was conveyed unto him, ( 1 Timothy 4:14 Timothy 1:6) or it may be before the men of the world, some violent persecutors, before whom he bravely, and with great intrepidity, professed his faith in Christ Jesus; and which he continued constantly to do, in every place wherever he came; and which being done so often, and so publicly, is a reason why he should keep on till the battle was over.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 11-16 - It ill becomes any men, but especially men of God, to set their heart upon the things of this world; men of God should be taken up with the things of God. There must be a conflict with corruption, an temptations, and the powers of darkness. Eternal life is the crow proposed for our encouragement. We are called to lay hold thereon. To the rich must especially be pointed out their dangers and duties, as to the proper use of wealth. But who can give such a charge, that is no himself above the love of things that wealth can buy? The appearing of Christ is certain, but it is not for us to know the time. Mortal eye cannot bear the brightness of the Divine glory. None can approach his except as he is made known unto sinners in and by Christ. The Godhea is here adored without distinction of Persons, as all these things ar properly spoken, whether of the Father, the Son, or the Holy Ghost. God is revealed to us, only in and through the human nature of Christ, a the only begotten Son of the Father.
Greek Textus Receptus
αγωνιζου 75 5737 τον 3588 καλον 2570 αγωνα 73 της 3588 πιστεως 4102 επιλαβου 1949 5634 της 3588 αιωνιου 166 ζωης 2222 εις 1519 ην 3739 και 2532 εκληθης 2564 5681 και 2532 ωμολογησας 3670 5656 την 3588 καλην 2570 ομολογιαν 3671 ενωπιον 1799 πολλων 4183 μαρτυρων 3144
Vincent's NT Word Studies
12. Fight the good fight (agwnizou ton kalon agwna). A phrase peculiar to the Pastorals. Comp. 2 Tim. iv. 7. Not necessarily a metaphor from the gymnasium or arena, although ajgwn contest was applied originally to athletic struggles. But it is also used of any struggle, outward or inward. See Col. ii. 1; iv. 12.
Lay hold (epilabou). o P. Frequent in Luke and Acts. Occasionally in this strong sense, as Luke xx. 20; xxiii. 26; Acts xviii. 17, but not usually. See Mark viii. 23; Luke ix. 47; Acts ix. 27.
Professed a good profession (wmologhsav thn kalhn omologian). Both the verb and the noun in Paul, but this combination only here. For the use of kalov good see ch. i. 18, and ver. 12. Rend. confessed the good confession, and see on your professed subjection, 2 Cor. ix. 13. It is important to preserve the force of the article, a point in which the A.V. is often at fault.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
6:12 {Fight the good fight} (agwnizou ton kalon agwna). Cognate accusative with present middle imperative of agwnizw, Pauline word (#1Co 9:25; Col 1:29). {Lay hold on} (epilabou). Second (ingressive) aorist middle imperative of epilambanw, "get a grip on." See same verb with genitive also in verse #19. {Thou wast called} (ekleqes). First aorist passive of kalew as in #1Co 1:9; Col 3:15. {The good confession} (ten kalen homologian). Cognate accusative with hwmologesas (first aorist active indicative of homologew, the public confession in baptism which many witnessed. See it also in verse #13 of Jesus.
