Timothy was the young companion of Paul who received two New Testament pastoral letters, 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy.
Timothy came from Lystra in Asia Minor. His mother, Eunice, was Jewish and his father was Greek; Paul later regarded him as a trusted coworker and spiritual “son.” Timothy joined Paul’s missionary team, and Acts says Paul circumcised him because of the local Jewish communities they would visit.
Paul sent Timothy on important assignments, including work in Thessalonica, Corinth, and Ephesus. The two letters bearing his name address church leadership, teaching, worship, pastoral care, and resistance to false doctrine. They are traditionally attributed to Paul, although modern scholars debate their authorship.
A common mix-up is Titus, another major Pauline coworker who also received a pastoral letter. Luke was Paul’s physician and traveling associate, while John Mark appears in Acts and other early Christian traditions but was not the recipient of these two letters.