Literally, “the teaching.” It will be detrimental to the life of the church if the self-appointed teachers disseminate teachings that are contrary to the fundamentals of the Christian faith. Hence Timothy is to give careful heed to all phases of public worship.

That is, the admonition to duty based on the Scripture lesson as read in public worship. Perhaps Paul here refers to the preaching phase of church worship.

 That is, the Scripture lessons read in public worship, following the synagogue custom (see on Luke 4:16). Because in those days the Because in those days the Scriptures had to be laboriously copied by hand, very few homes could afford a copy; hence the need for, and importance of, the reading of Scripture in public worship. Because of the contentious and delusive teachers in the churches under Timothy’s care

 (see on 1 Tim. 1:3-6; 4:1, 7) Paul charges the young apostle to select carefully the Scriptures to be read in public and to give them careful interpretation. Timothy was not to be a censor of free thought, but a wise leader, sensitive to his duty to keep the essentials of the gospel untainted from “doctrines of devils” (see on v. 1).

Or, “give heed to.”

Paul evidently expected to be released from prison.