But we know that the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully,
Paul arranged his first six epithets in pairs (1 Timothy 1:9 a). For other Pauline "vice lists," see 1 Timothy 6:4-5; Romans 1:29-31; Romans 6:9-10; Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 5:10-11; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:31; Ephesians 5:3-5; Colossians 3:5; Colossians 3:8; Titus 3:3; and 2 Timothy 3:2-5. The leading attitude in each pair precedes the resulting action. There is a progression in these three couplets from more general to more specific lawlessness. The first two terms are introductory.