I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession,
"In chaps. 1 and 4 Paul establishes the pattern of criticizing his opponents (1 Timothy 1:3-7; 1 Timothy 4:1-5) and then following with words of encouragement to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:18-20; 1 Timothy 4:6-16), which include reference to Timothy’s spiritual beginnings (1 Timothy 1:18; 1 Timothy 4:14). He repeats this same pattern here." [Note: Mounce, p. 351.] 