1 This letter is from me, Paul. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus. God, our Saviour, is the one who commanded that I should be an apostle. So did Christ Jesus, the one that we trust to help us.
2 I am writing to you, Timothy. I told you the message about Jesus and you believed in him. So you are like my own child.
I pray that God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord will continue to help you and be kind to you. I pray that they will give you peace in your mind.
3 When I was going to Macedonia, I asked you to stay in Ephesus. Please continue to stay there. Certain people in Ephesus are teaching wrong things about God. You must tell them to stop doing that. 4 Tell people not to listen to false stories. They should not always be studying long lists of their families' names from years ago. Those things do not help people. They only cause them to argue. Instead, they need to understand God's purpose for us. To do that, people must trust him.
5 We need to teach people to love one another with pure thoughts. They need to be sure in their minds that they are living in a good way. They need to trust God completely. 6 But certain people have failed to live in that way. They would rather talk about things that do not help anyone. 7 They want to be teachers of God's laws. They speak very strongly, but they do not really understand what they are talking about.
8 We know that God's laws are good, if people use them properly. 9 We also know that God did not make those laws for people who already live in a good way. He made them for people like this, to show them what is right:
people who refuse to obey any laws;
people who do not want anyone to rule them;
people who turn away from God;
people who do bad things;
people who do not respect God's holy things;
people who kill their father or their mother;
people who murder;
10 people who have sex in a wrong way;
men who have sex with other men;
people who catch other people to sell them;
people who tell lies;
people who do not speak the truth in court;
people who do any wrong things that are against God's true message.
11 That true message is the good news that comes from our great God. We praise him for it. He has chosen me to tell this good news to people.
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has made me strong to serve him. He decided to trust me and he chose me to work on his behalf. 13 Before he chose me, I said bad things about him. I caused great trouble for his people. I was a cruel man, but God was very kind to me. He forgave me because I did not know what I was doing. That was because I did not believe in Jesus. 14 Our Lord continued to be very good and kind to me. He caused me to believe in Christ Jesus and to love him.
15 Here is a true message that everyone should believe: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save people who do wrong things.’ I am the worst person like that! 16 But God was kind to me. [ a ] Christ Jesus showed that he was completely patient with me, the worst person. That was an example to those people who would later believe in him. They would believe and receive life for ever with God.
17 Praise God, the King who rules for ever! He can never die. He lives where we cannot see him. He is the only God. So praise him and say how great he is! That is true always and for ever! Amen! This is true.
18 Timothy, you are like my own child. So now I am telling you to serve God well. Remember the words from God that people spoke about you, when you became a servant of God. [ b ] Those words will help you to be strong, like a soldier who fights well. [ c ] 19 You must continue to trust God. Always do what you know to be right. Some people have refused to do what is right, even when they know what they should do. As a result, they no longer believe God's true message. 20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are people like that. [ d ] I have given them to Satan so that he may punish them. Then they will learn not to say bad things against God any more.
1 Greetings from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am an apostle by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope.
2 To Timothy, a true son to me in the faith we share.
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 When I went to Macedonia, I asked you to stay in Ephesus. Some people there are teaching things that are not true, and I want you to tell them to stop. 4 Tell them not to give their time to meaningless stories and to long lists of names to prove their family histories. Such things only cause arguments. They don’t help God’s work, which is done only by faith. 5 My purpose in telling you to do this is to promote love—the kind of love shown by those whose thoughts are pure, who do what they know is right, and whose faith in God is real. 6 But some have missed this key point in their teaching and have gone off in another direction. Now they talk about things that help no one. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, [ a ] but they don’t know what they are talking about. They don’t even understand the things they say they are sure of.
8 We know that the law is good if someone uses it right. 9 We also know that the law is not made for those who do what is right. It is made for those who are against the law and refuse to follow it. The law is for sinners who are against God and all that is pleasing to him. It is for those who have no interest in spiritual things and for those who kill their fathers or mothers or anyone else. 10 It is for those who commit sexual sins, homosexuals, those who sell slaves, those who tell lies, those who don’t tell the truth under oath, and those who are against the true teaching of God. 11 That teaching is part of the Good News that our blessed God gave me to tell. In it we see his glory.
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord because he trusted me and gave me this work of serving him. He gives me strength. 13 In the past I insulted Christ. As a proud and violent man, I persecuted his people. But God gave me mercy because I did not know what I was doing. I did that before I became a believer. 14 But our Lord gave me a full measure of his grace. And with that grace came the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 Here is a true statement that should be accepted without question: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the worst of them. 16 But I was given mercy so that in me Christ Jesus could show that he has patience without limit. Christ showed his patience with me, the worst of all sinners. He wanted me to be an example for those who would believe in him and have eternal life. 17 Honor and glory to the King who rules forever. He cannot be destroyed and cannot be seen. Honor and glory forever and ever to the only God. Amen.
18 Timothy, you are like a son to me. What I am telling you to do agrees with the prophecies [ b ] that were told about you in the past. I want you to remember those prophecies and fight the good fight of faith. 19 Continue to trust in God and do what you know is right. Some people have not done this, and their faith is now in ruins. 20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are men like that. I have given them to Satan so that they will learn not to speak against God.
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
1 Paul, ( A ) an apostle of ( B ) Christ Jesus ( C ) according to the commandment of ( D ) God our Savior, and of ( E ) Christ Jesus, who is our ( F ) hope,
2 To ( G ) Timothy, ( H ) my true [ a ] son in the faith: ( I ) Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and ( J ) Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 Just as I urged you [ b ] upon my departure for ( K ) Macedonia, to remain on at ( L ) Ephesus so that you would instruct certain people not to ( M ) teach strange doctrines, 4 nor to [ c ] pay attention to ( N ) myths and endless ( O ) genealogies, which give rise to useless ( P ) speculation rather than ( Q ) advance [ d ] the plan of God, which is by faith, so I urge you now . 5 But the goal of our [ e ] ( R ) instruction is love ( S ) from a pure heart, from a ( T ) good conscience, and from a sincere ( U ) faith. 6 Some people have strayed from these things and have turned aside to ( V ) fruitless discussion, 7 ( W ) wanting to be ( X ) teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.
8 But we know that ( Y ) the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 realizing the fact that ( Z ) law is not made for a righteous person but for those who are lawless and ( AA ) rebellious, for the ( AB ) ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and ( AC ) worldly, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the [ f ] ( AD ) sexually immoral, ( AE ) homosexuals, [ g ] ( AF ) slave traders, ( AG ) liars, ( AH ) perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to ( AI ) sound teaching, 11 according to ( AJ ) the glorious gospel of ( AK ) the blessed God, with which I have been ( AL ) entrusted.
12 I thank ( AM ) Christ Jesus our Lord, who has ( AN ) strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, ( AO ) putting me into service, 13 even though I was previously a blasphemer and a ( AP ) persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was ( AQ ) shown mercy because ( AR ) I acted ignorantly in unbelief; 14 and the ( AS ) grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the ( AT ) faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. 15 ( AU ) It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that ( AV ) Christ Jesus came into the world to ( AW ) save sinners, among whom ( AX ) I am foremost. 16 Yet for this reason I ( AY ) found mercy, so that in me as the foremost sinner Jesus Christ might ( AZ ) demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those [ h ] who would believe in Him for eternal life. 17 Now to the ( BA ) King [ i ] eternal, ( BB ) immortal, ( BC ) invisible, the ( BD ) only God, ( BE ) be honor and glory [ j ] forever and ever. Amen.
18 This ( BF ) command I entrust to you, Timothy, ( BG ) my [ k ] son, in accordance with the ( BH ) prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you ( BI ) fight the good fight, 19 keeping ( BJ ) faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to [ l ] ( BK ) their faith. 20 [ m ] Among these are ( BL ) Hymenaeus and ( BM ) Alexander, whom I have ( BN ) handed over to Satan, so that they will be ( BO ) taught not to blaspheme.
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God ( A ) our Savior ( B ) and of Christ Jesus our hope, ( C )
2 To Timothy ( D ) my true son ( E ) in the faith:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. ( F )
3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, ( G ) stay there in Ephesus ( H ) so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines ( I ) any longer 4 or to devote themselves to myths ( J ) and endless genealogies. ( K ) Such things promote controversial speculations ( L ) rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. 5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart ( M ) and a good conscience ( N ) and a sincere faith. ( O ) 6 Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. 7 They want to be teachers ( P ) of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. ( Q )
8 We know that the law is good ( R ) if one uses it properly. 9 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous ( S ) but for lawbreakers and rebels, ( T ) the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine ( U ) 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. ( V )
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, ( W ) that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. ( X ) 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor ( Y ) and a violent man, I was shown mercy ( Z ) because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. ( AA ) 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, ( AB ) along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ( AC )
15 Here is a trustworthy saying ( AD ) that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners ( AE ) —of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy ( AF ) so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience ( AG ) as an example for those who would believe ( AH ) in him and receive eternal life. ( AI ) 17 Now to the King ( AJ ) eternal, immortal, ( AK ) invisible, ( AL ) the only God, ( AM ) be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. ( AN )
18 Timothy, my son, ( AO ) I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, ( AP ) so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, ( AQ ) 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, ( AR ) which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. ( AS ) 20 Among them are Hymenaeus ( AT ) and Alexander, ( AU ) whom I have handed over to Satan ( AV ) to be taught not to blaspheme.
