1•1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope.

•2To Timothy, [my] genuine child in the faith:

Grace, mercy, [and] peace from God [the]¹ Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

•3Just as I exhorted you to remain in Ephesus when I was going to Macedonia, [I also do now], so that you may command certain [persons] not to teach any different doctrine, •4nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies which promote speculations rather than the stewardship for God² that is in faith; •5Now the aim³ of [this] command is love [that comes] from a clean heart and a good conscience and an unhypocritical faith. •6Certain [persons] by straying from these have turned aside to vain discussion, •7wishing to be teachers of the law, [but] not understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they [so] confidently speak.

•8Now we know that the law [is] good, if anyone uses it lawfully, •9knowing this [also], that law is not laid down for a righteous [person] but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the irreverent and sinners, for the undevout and profane, for those who kill their fathers and those who kill their mothers, for murderers, •10sexually immoral [people], homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers—and any other thing besides that is opposed to healthy teaching, •11in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

•12I thank the One who has strengthened⁴ me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me faithful, appointing [me] to [his] service, •13although I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent [man]. But I received mercy because I did [it] ignorantly in unbelief, •14and the grace of our Lord overflowed [for me] with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. •15The saying [is] faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. •16But I received mercy for this [reason], that in me, [as] the

I Timothy 1

foremost, Jesus Christ might show all [his] patience for an example to those who were going to believe on him for eternal life. •17Now to the King of ages, imperishable, invisible, the only⁵ God, [be] honor and glory forever and ever.⁶ Amen.

•18This command I commit to you, my child Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies previously given about you, that [encouraged] by them you may wage the good warfare, •19holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of [their] faith, •20among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan that they may be disciplined [so as] not to blaspheme.

2•1First of all, then, I exhort that petitions, prayers, intercessions, [and] thanksgivings be made for all men, •2for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all reverence and dignity. •3This [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, •4who wishes all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. •5For [there is] one God, and [there is] one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, •6who gave himself [as] a ransom for all, the testimony [to which was given] at the proper time. •7For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle (I am telling the truth,¹ I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

•8Therefore I want the men to pray in every place, lifting up devout hands without wrath and argument. •9In a similar way [I want] women to adorn themselves in respectable attire, with modesty and prudence, not with braided [hair] and gold or pearls or costly clothing, •10but through good works, as is fitting for women who profess the worship of God. •11A woman must learn in quietness with all subjection. •12And I do not permit a woman to teach nor to domineer a man, but to be in quietness. •13For Adam was formed first, then Eve. •14And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and has fallen into transgression. •15But she will be saved throughout childbearing,² if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with prudence.

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3•1The saying is faithful:¹ If anyone aspires to [the task of] supervision, he desires a good work. •2Therefore a supervisor² has to be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, skilful in teaching, •3not addicted to wine, not a bully, but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. •4[He must] direct [his] own household well, having [his] children in subjection with all dignity. •5Now if someone does not know [how] to direct [his] own household, how shall he take care of God's church? •6[He must] not [be] a new convert, lest he be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.³ •7And also he has to have good testimony from outsiders, lest he fall into reproach and the trap of the devil.³

•8In a similar way deacons⁴ [must be] dignified, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not fond of dishonest gain; •9they must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. •10And they also must be examined first; then let them serve [as deacons] if they are unimpeachable. •11In a similar way the women [must be] dignified, not slanderers, [but] temperate, faithful in all things. •12Deacons⁴ must be the husband of one wife, and direct [their] children and [their] own households well. •13For those who serve well [as deacons] gain a good standing for themselves and much boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

•14I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you •15so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to conduct oneself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and mainstay of the truth. •16And great, we confess, is the mystery of our religion:⁵

I Timothy 3

4•1Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, •2by means of the hypocrisy of liars whose own consciences are seared, •3who forbid [people] to marry [and command them] to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. •4Because everything created by God [is] good, and nothing [is] to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving; •5for it is sanctified through the word of God and intercessory prayer.

•6If you point out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of faith and of the good teaching which you have followed. •7But keep refusing [to have anything to do with] profane and old-womanish myths. And keep exercising yourself for reverence. •8For bodily exercise is profitable for a few things, but reverence is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and [also] for the future one. •9The saying [is] faithful and worthy of all acceptance. •10For to this [end] we labor and struggle,¹ because we have [our] hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

•11Keep commanding and teaching these things. •12No one must despise your youth, but keep being an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love,² in faith, in purity. •13Until I come, keep applying [yourself] to the [public] reading [of scripture], to exhortation, to teaching. •14Do not be neglecting the charismatic gift that is in you, which was given you through prophecy with the laying on of hands of the eldership. •15Keep practicing³ these things, keep on in these things, so that your progress may be apparent to everyone. •16Keep giving attention to yourself and to [your] teaching; continue in these, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those that hear you.

I Timothy 4

5•1Do not reprimand an older man but keep exhorting [him] like [you would your] father; [exhort] younger men like brothers, •2older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity.

•3Honor widows who are real widows. •4But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to be showing reverence toward [those of their] own household and making some return to [their] parents;¹ for this is acceptable in the sight of God. •5Now the one who is a real widow, and is left all alone, has set [her] hope on God and continues in petitions and prayers night and day. •6But the one who lives in extravagance is dead while she [still] lives. •7And keep commanding these things, so that they may be above reproach. •8But if anyone does not provide for [his] own [relatives], and especially for those in [his] household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliver.

•9A widow must be enrolled [only if] she is not less than sixty years [old], [having been] the wife of one husband, •10who is well testified of by [her] good works; [and only] if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has aided the afflicted, if she has followed every good work. •11But refuse [to enroll] younger widows; for whenever they feel sensual impulses that estrange them from Christ they wish to marry, •12and [so] they bring on condemnation because they have broken [their] first pledge. •13And at the same time also, they learn [to be] idle, going around to [various houses], and not only idle, but also gossips and busibodies, saying things they ought not. •14Therefore, I want younger [widows] to marry, bear children, be mistress of the house, and give the opponent no occasion to revile [us]. •15For some have already turned aside after Satan. •16If any believing woman² has [relatives who are] widows, she must aid them; and the church must not be burdened, so that it may aid those who are real widows.

•17The elders who direct well must be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in word and teaching; •18for the scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is

I Timothy 5

threshing [out the grain],"³ and, "The worker [is] worthy of his wages."⁴ •19Do not accept an accusation against an elder except on [the evidence of] two or three witnesses. •20[As for] those who are sinning, reprove [them] in the presence of all, so that the rest also may stand in fear. •21In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the chosen angels I charge [you] to observe these things without discrimination, doing nothing from partiality. •22Do not be too quick to lay [your] hands on anyone, and do not share in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

•23No longer keep drinking [only] water, but be using a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent sicknesses.

•24The sins of some men are obvious, preceding [them] to judgment, but indeed, for some [others], [their sins] follow after [them to appear later]. •25In a similar way also good works [are] obvious; and [even] those that are otherwise cannot stay hidden.

6•1As many as are slaves under the yoke must consider [their] own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed. •2And those who have believing masters must not be despising [them] because they are brothers; but rather they must keep on serving because those who are being helped by their good work are believers and beloved.

Keep teaching these things and exhorting [people to do them]. •3If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree with the healthy words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching in accordance with reverence, •4he is puffed up with conceit, and understands nothing; he has a disease concerning controversy and fights over words, out of which come envy, strife, slander, evil suspicions, •5[and] constant friction among men who are corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, supposing that reverence is a means of gain.¹ •6And reverence is a great means of gain with contentment; •7for we brought nothing into the world, and² neither can we carry anything out. •8But if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content. •9But those who want to be rich fall

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into temptation and a trap, and [into] many senseless and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. •10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils; by it some have aspired to [wealth] and been led astray from the faith and pierce themselves through with many pains.

•11But [as for] you, O man of God, keep fleeing from these things; and keep pursuing righteousness, reverence, faith, love, endurance, meekness. •12Keep fighting the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called [when] you also confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. •13In the presence of God who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilate testified to the good confession, I command •14you to keep the commandment without spot and above reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ; •15and this will be shown at the proper time by the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, •16who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has [ever] seen nor can see. To him [be] honor and eternal might. Amen.

•17Keep commanding the rich in [this] present age not to be haughty, nor to have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches but on God³ who richly gives us all things for [our] enjoyment. •18[They are continually] to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share, •19[thus] storing up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the real life.

•20O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted [to you]. Turn aside from the profane chatter and condradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, •21which some have professed and strayed as concerns the faith.

Grace [be] with ^†you.⁴