1 Pavl an Apostle of Iesvs Christ, by the commandement of God our Sauiour, and of our Lord Iesus Christ our hope, 2 Vnto Timotheus my naturall sonne in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and from Christ Iesus our Lord. 3 As I besought thee to abide still in Ephesus, when I departed into Macedonia, so doe, that thou mayest warne some, that they teach none other doctrine, 4 Neither that they giue heede to fables and genealogies which are endles, which breede questions rather then godly edifying which is by fayth. 5 For the end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith vnfained. 6 From the which things some haue erred, and haue turned vnto vaine iangling. 7 They would be doctours of the Law, and yet vnderstande not what they speake, neither whereof they affirme. 8 And we knowe, that the Law is good, if a man vse it lawfully, 9 Knowing this, that the Lawe is not giuen vnto a righteous man, but vnto the lawles and disobedient, to the vngodly, and to sinners, to the vnholy, and to the prophane, to murtherers of fathers and mothers, to manslayers, 10 To whoremongers, to buggerers, to menstealers, to lyers, to the periured, and if there be any other thing, that is contrary to wholesome doctrine, 11 Which is according to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, which is committed vnto me. 12 Therefore I thanke him, which hath made me strong, that is, Christ Iesus our Lord: for he counted me faithfull, and put me in his seruice: 13 When before I was a blasphemer, and a persecuter, and an oppresser: but I was receiued to mercie: for I did it ignorantly through vnbeliefe. 14 But the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and loue, which is in Christ Iesus. 15 This is a true saying, and by all meanes worthy to be receiued, that Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners, of whom I am chiefe. 16 Notwithstanding, for this cause was I receiued to mercie, that Iesus Christ should first shewe on me all long suffering vnto the ensample of them, which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life. 17 Nowe vnto the King euerlasting, immortall, inuisible, vnto God onely wise, be honour and glorie, for euer, and euer, Amen. 18 This commandement commit I vnto thee, sonne Timotheus, according to the prophecies, which went before vpon thee, that thou by them shouldest fight a good fight, 19 Hauing faith and a good conscience, which some haue put away, and as concerning faith, haue made shipwracke. 20 Of whom is Hymeneus, and Alexander, whom I haue deliuered vnto Satan, that they might learne not to blaspheme.
1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by order of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope—
2 To Timothy, my true son in the faith:
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.
Warnings against False Teaching
3 I want you to stay in Ephesus, just as I urged you when I was on my way to Macedonia. Some people there are teaching false doctrines, and you must order them to stop. 4 Tell them to give up those legends and those long lists of ancestors, which only produce arguments; they do not serve God's plan, which is known by faith. 5 The purpose of this order is to arouse the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a genuine faith. 6 Some people have turned away from these and have lost their way in foolish discussions. 7 They want to be teachers of God's law, but they do not understand their own words or the matters about which they speak with so much confidence.
8 We know that the Law is good if it is used as it should be used. 9 It must be remembered, of course, that laws are made, not for good people, but for lawbreakers and criminals, for the godless and sinful, for those who are not religious or spiritual, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the immoral, for sexual perverts, for kidnappers, for those who lie and give false testimony or who do anything else contrary to sound doctrine. 11 That teaching is found in the gospel that was entrusted to me to announce, the Good News from the glorious and blessed God.
Gratitude for God's Mercy
12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength for my work. I thank him for considering me worthy and appointing me to serve him, 13 even though in the past I spoke evil of him and persecuted and insulted him. But God was merciful to me because I did not yet have faith and so did not know what I was doing. 14 And our Lord poured out his abundant grace on me and gave me the faith and love which are ours in union with Christ Jesus. 15 This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst of them, 16 but God was merciful to me in order that Christ Jesus might show his full patience in dealing with me, the worst of sinners, as an example for all those who would later believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 To the eternal King, immortal and invisible, the only God—to him be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.
18 Timothy, my child, I entrust to you this command, which is in accordance with the words of prophecy spoken in the past about you. Use those words as weapons in order to fight well, 19 and keep your faith and a clear conscience. Some people have not listened to their conscience and have made a ruin of their faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have punished by handing them over to the power of Satan; this will teach them to stop their blasphemy.