Lexicon

Stop drinking [only] water

ὑδροπότει

(hydropotei)

Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular



From a compound of hudor and a derivative of pino; to be a water-drinker, i.e. To abstain from vinous beverages.

[and] use

χρῶ

(chrō)

Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular



To use, make use of, deal with, take advantage of.

a little

ὀλίγῳ

(oligō)

Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular



Puny; especially neuter somewhat.

wine

οἴνῳ

(oinō)

Noun - Dative Masculine Singular



Wine. A primary word (yayin); 'wine'.

instead,

ἀλλὰ

(alla)

Conjunction



But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

because of

διὰ

(dia)

Preposition



A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

[your]

τὸν

(ton)

Article - Accusative Masculine Singular



The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

stomach

στόμαχον

(stomachon)

Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular



The stomach. From stoma; an orifice, i.e., the 'stomach'.

and

καὶ

(kai)

Conjunction



And, even, also, namely.

your

σου

(sou)

Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular



You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

frequent

πυκνάς

(pyknas)

Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural



Frequent, often, much. From the same as skenopoios; clasped, i.e. frequent; neuter plural frequently.

ailments.

ἀσθενείας

(astheneias)

Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural



From asthenes; feebleness; by implication, malady; morally, frailty.

Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.

(23)--Those who argue that this Epistle was the artificial composition of an age subsequent to St. Paul's, and was written in great measure to support the hierarchical development, which, they say, showed itself only in the century after St. Paul's death, have no little difficulty in accounting for the presence of such a command as this. It can, in fact, only be explained on the supposition that the letter was, in truth, written by St. Paul to Timothy in all freedom and in all love: by the older and more experienced, to the younger and comparatively untried man: by the master to the pupil: by an old and trusted friend, accustomed to speak his whole mind, to one his inferior in years, in rank, in knowledge. No ecclesiastical forger of the second or third century would have dreamed, or, had he dreamed, would have dared to weave into the complicated tapestry of such an Epistle such a charge as "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine--considering thine often infirmities."

The reminder was, no doubt, suggested by St. Paul's own words, with which he closed his solemn direction respecting Timothy's dealings with the accused presbyters, and the care to be used in the laying on of hands: "Keep thyself pure." That Timothy possessed--as did his master Paul--a feeble body, is clear from the words "thine often infirmities." He was, above all things, considering his great position in that growing church, to remember "to keep himself pure," but not on that account to observe ascetical abstinence, and so to weaken uselessly the frail, perishable, perhaps ever dying body, in which he must work that great work committed to him in the master's church. Abstinence from wine was a well-known characteristic feature of the Essene and other Jewish ascetic sects. We know there was frequent intercommunion between Alexandria and Ephesus (see Acts 18:24); and it has even been conjectured that Apollos, who taught publicly at Ephesus, was himself a famous Essene teacher. The practice of these grave and ascetic Jews, many of whom became Christians, no doubt affected not a little the habits and tone of thought of the Ephesian congregations. Hence the necessity of St. Paul's warning against allowing the bodily power to be weakened through abstinence and extreme asceticism.

Verse 23.

no

longer a drinker of

drink no longer

Be... a drinker of water

ὑδροπότει

Infirmities

ἀσθενείας

sicknesses

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- Befor, A.V.); here only in the New Testament. It is found in some codices of the LXX. in Daniel 1:12 , and also in classical Greek. We learn from hence the interesting fact that Timothy was, in modern parlance, a total abstainer; and we also learn that, in St. Paul's judgment, total abstinence was not to be adhered to if injurious to the health. The epithet, "a little," should not be overlooked. Was Luke, the beloved physician, with St. Paul when he wrote this prescription (see 2 Timothy 4:11 )? It is also interesting to have this passing allusion to Timothy's bad health, and this instance of St. Paul's thoughtful consideration for him.); in the sense of, attacks of illness.Alphabetical: a ailments and because but drink drinking exclusively for frequent illnesses little longer No of only sake stomach Stop the use water wine your