45. Does “especially” in 1 Timothy 4:10 simply mean ‘namely’?

Can Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 4:10—that the living God is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers—not be interpreted as: God is a Savior for all mankind, namely (or: to be precise) of believers? Among others, the Dutch “Studiebijbel” proposes this explanation:

The ending of this verse is somewhat difficult. In analogy with 1 Tim. 2:4, we must conclude that God desires all men to be saved (…) But salvation only becomes reality, in other words, is only fulfilled, when someone accepts it in faith. The word malista (lit. most) must therefore be rendered here as ‘to be precise’.

This explanation diminishes what Paul emphatically declares here in two ways. First, the statement “the living God is the Savior of all mankind” (genitive case) is reduced to an offer: a Savior for all men (see  the Dutch NBG51 translation). And secondly (and this is the main point of this question), a word that means most or especially is changed into “to be precise.” That is impermissible. The Greek word malista (literally: most) is the superlative of mallon (literally: more) and occurs 12 times in the NT. See the list below, including the rendering of the Dutch NBG51 translation:

1. Acts 20:38: the most
2. Acts 25:26: mainly
3. Acts 26:3: especially
4. Gal. 6:10: especially
5. Phil. 4:22: especially
6. 1 Tim. 4:10: especially
7. 1 Tim. 5:10: notably
8. 1 Tim. 5:17: especially
9. 2 Tim. 4:10: especially
10. Titus 1:10: especially
11. Philem. 16: very much
12. 2 Peter 2:10: especially

In all these cases, malista carries the meaning that aligns with standard lexicons, including that of the Dutch “Studiebijbel” itself, which defines it as:

The adverb malista means ‘the most, especially’.

The structure of 1 Timothy 4:10 in relation to malista is the same as that found in Galatians 6:10 (NBG51):

“So, then, as we have occasion, we are working for the good of all, yet especially (malista) for the family of faith.”

The thought in Galatians 6:10 is: while doing good to all, we should do so the most (in particular, especially, chiefly) for those of the household of faith. If we were to apply the procedure the “Studiebijbel” proposes in 1 Timothy 4:10 and translate malista as “namely” or “to be precise,” we would end up excluding all who are not of the faith. Yet Paul is precisely including all people, while giving priority to believers.

In 1 Timothy 4:10, the meaning of malista is no different than in Galatians 6:10. The living God is the Savior of all mankind, and especially (or chiefly) of believers. All are included, and believers are given precedence.

The conclusion of 1 Timothy 4:10 is not “difficult,” as the Dutch “Studiebijbel” claims. It is only made “difficult” by attempting to make the text say something it does not say. In doing so, one assigns to malista a meaning which, according to lexicons and concordances, it does not bear—and thus, perhaps unknowingly, aligns oneself with those who opposed Paul. For such an interpretation denies that God actually saves all mankind!

Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome. For for this are we toiling and being reproached, that we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers.
— 1 Timothy 4:9–10, CLNT

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