Note 1 at Acts 16:1: This is the first mention of Timotheus in scripture. He is also called Timothy 9 times. From this verse we can see that Timothy was from the region of Lystra and Derbe and his mother was a Jew while his father was a Greek or Gentile (see note 45 at Mt. 6:32, p. 136). Paul circumcised Timothy, "because of the Jews" (see note at v. 3, this page).

Because of Paul's mention of Timothy as "my beloved son" (1 Cor. 4:17) and "my own son in the faith" (1 Tim. 1:2), it has been supposed that Paul himself had led Timothy to faith in the Lord on his first missionary trip. However, Paul mentions in 2 Tim. 1:5 that Timothy's grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice were believers before Timothy, so it is possible that they were converted on Paul's first missionary trip and then they shared their faith with Timothy. Either way, it was because of Paul's witness that Timothy was born again.

Paul chose Timothy to travel with him during this second missionary trip. Only passing references are made of Timothy during this second journey, but it is clear that he accompanied Paul to Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Corinth and Ephesus (Acts 17:14-15; 18:5). Timothy was also with Paul on his third missionary journey and from Ephesus, Paul sent him into Macedonia (Acts 19:22). Timothy apparently rejoined Paul and his company back in Ephesus because Paul besought Timothy to abide in Ephesus while he went into Macedonia (1 Tim. 1:3). Timothy later accompanied Paul into Greece because he was with Paul when he left Greece and headed back to Asia through Macedonia (Acts 20:4).

There is no further mention in the book of Acts as to whether or not Timothy was with Paul during his imprisonment. However, three of the letters that Paul wrote from prison are addressed from Paul and Timothy (Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1; Phile. 1:1) and Paul wrote from prison that he was going to send Timothy to Philippi (Phil. 2:19), indicating that Timothy was indeed with him.

Paul spoke higher of Timothy than of anyone else who ministered with him (Phil. 2:20-22). Paul with the presbytery, had laid hands on Timothy and ordained him into the ministry (1 Tim. 1:18; 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6). Timothy was still a young man when Paul put him in charge of the very large church at Ephesus (1 Tim. 4:12). From Heb. 13:23, we see that Timothy was imprisoned at some time and then released. Even from childhood, Timothy had been taught the Word of God (2 Tim. 3:15).