1 Timothy

Paul’s First Letter to Timothy

1 Paul, Christ Jesus’s apostle by order of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope, 2* to Timothy my own child in faith: grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 As I urged you to wait on at Ephesus when I took my trip to Macedonia in order that you might instruct some people not to teach erratic notions 4 nor devote attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give anybody more of fields for research than of attention to God’s affairs in faith,— 5 but the object of the injunction is love, out of a pure heart and good conscience and unfeigned faith, 6 things which some have failed to hit upon and have run off into futile talk, 7 wanting to be teachers of the law when they have no sense either of the things they say or of what it is they are being so positive about. 8 But we know that the law is a fine thing if one uses it in the lawful way, 9 knowing this, that the law is not enacted for an honest man but for such as are lawless and refractory, impious and sinful, unholy and profane, such as raise their hands against father and mother, murderers, 10 libertines, homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is in opposition to sound teaching, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the grace of the blessed God which was entrusted to me. 12 I thank him who put power into me, our Lord Jesus Christ, that he regarded me as faithful, assigning me to service, 13 when I had previously been a blasphemer and a persecutor and a ruffian; but mercy was shown me because I did it ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and our Lord’s grace overtopped, with faith and hope in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is a trustworthy one, and deserves all assent, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of whom I am the foremost; 16 but this was why mercy was shown me, in order that in me the foremost one Jesus Christ might show utter patience, that I might serve as an outline sketch of those who were to believe on him for eternal life. 17 And to the King of the Ages, the imperishable, invisible only God, be honor and glory forever and ever; amen.—

18*** This injunction I address to you, my child Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies that led the way to you, that under them you should fight the good campaign, 19* having faith, and a good conscience, which some have thrown overboard and so come to shipwreck as to the faith; 20 among these Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan in order that they might be given a lesson not to blaspheme.