Paul’s Greeting to Timothy

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope,

2 To Timothy, my true child in faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Warning against False Teaching

3 As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine, 4 and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies which cause disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith.

5 The goal of this command, however, is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith. 6 Some people, having strayed from this goal, have turned away to useless chatter, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor what they strongly affirm.

8 We know, however, that the law is good, if a person uses it lawfully, 9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine, 11 according to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

God’s Grace to Paul

12 I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service, 13 although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

15 This saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

18 I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith, 20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

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