1 Timothy 5:22
Keep yourself
pure

This verse is from Paul’s first letter to Timothy. It comes near the end of the letter, following sections with instructions on how various groups of people (widows, elders) should be treated within the church. 

Let’s first look at the Greek and then at what this verse could mean. Note that there are three verbs in the imperative mood, so there are three commands packed in this one verse. Lay hands, ‘epitithemi cheir’ means just that, to lay or place your hands upon.  Share, ‘koinoneo’ means to participate or have a share of. And keep pure, ‘tereo hagnos’ means to guard, or watch intently, over your holiness or purity. So the translation above (from the NKJV) is pretty good. Other translations all say pretty much the same thing.

However, Bible commentators have offered many different views on what it actually means. The command to ‘not lay hands on anyone hastily’ has been interpreted to mean:

1. “Do not ordain anyone into a leadership position in the church hastily.” This interpretation is supported by the use of the same phrase in 1 Ti 4:14, where it is mentioned that Timothy received his ordination by laying on of the hands. However, chapter 3 describes in detail the requirements of church leaders, so it would make more sense to have included the command there, if this was about ordaining church leaders.
2. “Do not heal someone hastily by laying hands on them.” There is not much support for this interpretation neither from the immediate context nor from the letter itself.
3. “Do not absolve sinners too quickly from their sin by welcoming them back through the laying on of hands.“ Apparently there is mention of laying hands on sinners in order to welcome them back in the church in early church tradition but its not mentioned anywhere in the New Testament and thus it is also not very likely that this is the right interpretation.
4. "Do not attack anyone too hastily". My favorite commentary, the Daily Truthbase, looks to the immediate context for interpretation. Since Paul had just given instructions to a) not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses, and b) rebuke those (elders) who are sinning in the presence of all, it could be that the ‘do not lay on hands hastily’ relates to a) and the ‘do not share in other’s people sins’ with b). In this interpretation, laying hands on someone means to attack someone, which is a pretty common use of that phrase (for example Gen 37:22, Esther 2:21, Nehemiah 13:21, Mark 16:18).
   

There is less disagreement about what the rest of the verse means. We should not participate in other people’s sins, which means that we should be able to recognize when someone is sinning and when not. Such spiritual discernment can only come about through knowledge of God’s Word. And we should be very diligent about keeping ourselves pure and holy. We live in a world saturated with sin, and it is our responsibility to keep ourselves pure from that sin. This frequently means that we have to do things different than people around us, different from what our culture tries to impress on us. Only those people who keep themselves pure are allowed to get close to God in His temple. This is how it was back in the Old Testament, and Ezekiel 44 and Revelation 22 make it clear that this is also how it will be in the coming Kingdom. 

So ask yourself: how could I be tempted to judge others too hastily, or participate in other’s people sins? How can I keep myself pure? Godspeed!