1 Timothy 5:21

1 Timothy 5:21. I charge thee. The solemnity of the adjuration here, as in 2 Timothy 4:1, implies a latent fear that the youth, the asceticism, the sensitiveness of Timothy might lead him beyond the line of strictly judicial action, to prejudice against the accused, or partiality in his favour.

The elect angels. The meaning of the adjective is not quite clear. In one sense all good angels were among God's elect; but the word is probably used of those who were chosen specially for ministering to the righteous judgments of God, and who, therefore, are thought of as looking on, approving or condemning, as the conduct of the earthly judge is in accord, or at variance, with His. The thought of angels as assessors in the final judgment meets us in our Lord's teaching in Matthew 25:31.

Without preferring one before another. A mistranslation. Read, as above, ‘without prejudice ' in the sense of ‘ without pre-judging.'