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 explained as: God is a Savior for all mankind, namely (or: to be precise) of believers? The Studiebijbel, among others, proposes this explanation:

The end of this verse is somewhat difficult. By analogy with 1 Tim. 2:4 we must conclude that God wants to save all people (…) But salvation only comes to fulfillment, in other words, only becomes concrete, when someone accepts it in faith. The word malista (lit. most) must therefore be rendered here as “to be precise.”

In two ways this explanation detracts from what Paul emphatically states here. First, the statement “the living God is the Savior of all mankind” (genitive case) is reduced to an offer: a Savior for all mankind (see NBG51). And second – and this is mainly what this question is about – a word that means “most” or “especially” is changed into “to be precise.” That is impermissible. The Greek word malista (lit. most) is the superlative of mallon (lit. more) and occurs 12 times in the New Testamen. See the list below, including the rendering of the NBG51:

1. Acts 20:38: the most
2. Acts 25:26: primarily
3. Acts 26:3: especially
4. Gal. 6:10: in particular
5. Phil. 4:22: in particular
6. 1 Tim. 4:10: in particular
7. 1 Tim. 5:10: indeed
8. 1 Tim. 5:17: especially
9. 2 Tim. 4:13: especially
10. Titus 1:10: especially
11. Philem. 1:16: to a high degree
12. 2 Pet. 2:10: especially

In all these cases, ‘malista’ has the meaning that corresponds with the standard lexicons, including that of the Studiebijbel itself, which reads:

The adverb malista means “the most, especially.”

The structure of 1 Tim. 4:10 in connection with malista is the same as that in Gal. 6:10 (NBG51):

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do what is good for all, but in particular (malista) for our fellow believers.

The thought in Galatians 6:10 is: while we do good to all people, we should do good most of all—in particular, especially, specifically, above all—for our fellow believers. If we were to apply the procedure the Studiebijbel proposes in 1 Tim. 4:10 and translate malista as “to be precise,” then we would exclude all people who are not fellow believers. Yet Paul is precisely including all people and, in doing so, gives priority to fellow believers.

In 1 Timothy 4:10, the thought of malista is no different from that in Galatians 6:10. The living God is the Savior of all mankind and most of all—or especially—of believers. All mankind is included, and believers receive priority.

The end of 1 Tim. 4:10 is not “difficult,” as the Studiebijbel claims. It is only made “difficult” by making the text say something it does not say. Then one gives ‘malista’ a meaning that, according to lexicons and concordances, it does not have and, without realizing it, joins the camp of those who opposed Paul. For one 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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