1 Timothy 4:12, Preposition "Of"

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Question #1 > Who is the audience in 1 Timothy 4:12?

Looking at different versions prove that not all authorities understand the example to be "of the believers" but rather "to the believers." Which is correct. Isn't there a difference?

Who is the audience in 1 Timothy 4:12?

1 Timothy 4:12 "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. "
(KJV)

Here's the passage, first in the Greek, then a word for word translation.

Apostolic Bible Polygot- Greek with Strong's Numbers

μηδεις^G3367 σου^G1473 της^G3588 νεοτητος^G3503 καταφρονειτω^G2706 αλλα^G235 τυπος^G5179 γινου^G1096 των^G3588 πιστων^G4103

Apostolic Bible Polygot's word for word translation:

[ no one ^G3367 your ^G1473 (the) ^G3588 youth ^G3503 Let disdain]!^G2706 but ^G235 [ a model^G5179 become]^G1096 for the ones ^G3588 believing --^G4103

There is no preposition "of" (e.g., "apo") nor preposition "to" (e.g., "eis") in the Greek. In this sentence the Greek uses the "omega nu" ending [ων] for the article "the" των with its noun "faithful" πιστων to indicate the thought. This ending is "genitive objective plural" ("believers").

English is fond for using "of" in its genitive case. For example, God's throne can be expressed as "the throne of God." That's easy because its simple possessive. But what about these expressions in English: north of the lake [reckoning]; a man of noble birth [origin]; died of flu [cause]; very kind of you [one's part]; a fish of the western Atlantic [occurring in]; throne of gold [material function]; gave of his time [quantity function]; stories of her travels [relating to]; eased of her pain [delivered from]; plus many more "functions".

The passage of the expression "model of the believers" may make you think it's referring to one's representing the Christians to the world. In other words, your audience are buyers for clothes and are sitting in the auditorium of life. Your clothing is Christ (or a Christian). You parade on the walkway like the ladies showing the latest designer clothes. I've always thought this was what the Spirit was saying. But that isn't it. Wrong audience. The Spirit is telling the preacher evangelist teacher to display Christ or role model for the Christians, the believers.

I reach this conclusion because the expression "model of the believers" is objective. "He hit the ball." What is the object of the verb hit? The ball. It's the "direct object." A noun in English takes an adjective and not a direct object. The noun "model" ["tupos": example] takes a "possessive" object. It's called "genitive object." The object of your modeling are believers. You are showing them how it's supposed to be done for Christ.

Someone said that it's similar to the Greek "eis" [towards]. So, although the word "of" is correct, it is pointing to the object, believers, and not away from them.

The following translations of the sentence:

AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION "Be ensample to them that believe"
BIBLE IN BASIC ENGLISH "Be an example to the church"
CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION "Set an example for other followers
ENGLISH MAJORITY TEXT VERSION "Become a pattern for the believers"
EASY TO READ VERSION "Be an example to show the believers how they should live"
ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION "Set the believers an example"
GOOD NEWS BIBLE "Be an example for the believers "
GOD'S WORD "Make your speech, behavior, love, faith, and purity an example for other believers"
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD "Be an example for other believers"
LEXHAM ENGLISH BIBLE "Be an example for the believers"
LITERAL TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY BIBLE "Be an example for the believers"
MODERN KING JAMES VERSION "Be an example of the believers"
REVISED VERSION " Be thou an ensample to them that believe,"
MURDOCK " Be thou a pattern for the believers"
DARBY " Be a model of the believers"
DOUAY-RHEIMS BIBLE "Be thou an example of the faithful"

Of these versions, Darby, the Catholic Bible, Modern KJV, and the KJV use "of". The others are clearer.

There are teaching methods. One type is modeling. If you aspire to be a teacher for the Lord, then remember this passage. You are to be a model of what you teach.