Timothy
First appears at 2 Corinthians 1:1
First named in Scripture at 2 Corinthians 1:1 — read the chapter.
What Timothy Did
Paul’s own son in the faith: son of a Greek father and a believing Jewish mother at Lystra, taught the Scriptures from a child by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois; he joined Paul’s team, pastored at Ephesus, carried several of Paul’s letters, and received the two epistles that bear his name — the pastor’s handbook of the New Testament.
Accomplished for Good
"For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state" (Phil 2:20), wrote Paul of him; "from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation" (2 Tim 3:15); Paul trusted him with Corinth, Thessalonica, Philippi, and Ephesus.
Mistakes and Failures
His recorded weakness is timidity, not sin: Paul must charge the church not to despise his youth (1 Tim 4:12), remind him that God hath not given the spirit of fear (2 Tim 1:7), and stir up the gift that was in him (2 Tim 1:6); his "often infirmities" (1 Tim 5:23) he bore without complaint.
From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)
honouring God, a young disciple who was Paul’s companion in many of his journeyings. His mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, are mentioned as eminent for their piety (2 Timothy 1:5). We know nothing of his father but that he was a Greek (Acts 16:1). He is first brought into notice at the time of Paul’s second visit to Lystra (16:2), where he probably resided, and where it seems he was converted during Paul’s first visit to that place (1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 3:11). The apostle having formed a high opinion of his “own son in the faith,” arranged that he should become his companion (Acts 16:3), and took and circumcised him, so that he might conciliate the Jews. He was designated to the office of an evangelist (1 Timothy 4:14), and went with Paul in his journey through Phrygia, Galatia, and Mysia; also to Troas and Philippi and Berea (Acts 17:14). Thence he followed Paul to Athens, and was sent by him with Silas on a mission to Thessalonica (17:15; 1 Thessalonians 3:2). We next find him at Corinth (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1) with Paul. He passes now out of sight for a few years, and is again noticed as with the apostle at Ephesus (Acts 19:22), whence he is sent on a mission into Macedonia. He accompanied Paul afterwards into Asia (20:4), where he was with him for some time. When the apostle was a prisoner at Rome, Timothy joined him (Phil. 1:1), where it appears he also suffered imprisonment (Hebrews 13:23). During the apostle’s second imprisonment he wrote to Timothy, asking him to rejoin him as soon as possible, and to bring with him certain things which he had left at Troas, his cloak and parchments (2 Timothy 4:13). According to tradition, after the apostle’s death he settled in Ephesus as his sphere of labour, and there found a martyr’s grave.