1 From Paul. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus. God our Savior, and Lord Christ Jesus our hope
ordered this.
2 To Timothy, my true son in the faith.
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you gracious love, mercy, and peace.
3 While I was traveling to the Macedonian area, I
begged
you to stay in the city of
Some men there are teaching a different teaching. I want you to order them to stop doing this.
4 They should not hold onto myths (* or, legends, fables) or endless lists of ancestors.
These cause arguments. They are not helping God's plan which comes by faith. 5 Love is the real reason
for this command. It comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and honest faith.
6 Some of them have wandered away. They are lost in empty talk. 7 They want to be teachers of the law,
but they don't understand what they are talking about or the things they are so sure of.
8 We know that the law is good if a person uses it rightly. 9 We also know this: The law
was not made for a good man, but for people who are lawless, rebels, ungodly, sinners, unholy,
not religious, father‑killers, mother-killers, murderers, 10 sexual sinners, homosexuals, slave traders,
liars, and those who break promises. These and other things are against the healthy teaching
11 as found in the glorious gospel of the blessed God that He trusted to me.
12 I am thankful to Christ Jesus our Lord who gave me power. He thought I was faithful,
so he appointed me for this work. 13 In the past, I said evil things against God. I was a persecutor
and a man of violence. But I received mercy because, when I was an unbeliever, I didn't know
what I was doing. 14 Then the kindness of our Lord came upon me like a flood, with the faith and love
which are in Christ Jesus.
15 This statement is something you can trust; it is worth complete acceptance: "Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners." I am the worst one, 16 but, because of this, I received mercy.
Christ Jesus wanted to show all his patience in me, the worst sinner. This was an example for those
who were about to believe in him for eternal life. 17 Give honor and glory forever and ever to the
eternal King who cannot die or be seen, the only wise God. Amen.
18 Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction. It is like the prophecies that were made earlier
about you. Use them to fight the good fight. 19 Hold onto the faith and a good conscience,
which some people have rejected. They wrecked their faith, like a ship at sea. 20 Some of them
are Hymenaeus and Alexander. I gave them to Satan, so that they could be corrected and not say
evil things against God
anymore.
2 First of
all,
I beg you to pray for all people. Ask for things. Speak for them. Be
thankful
to God for them.
2 Pray for kings and all those who have authority, so that we may lead peaceful, quiet lives.
We want to be godly and serious. 3 This is good and acceptable before God our Savior.
4 God wants all men to be saved and to begin understanding the truth. 5 There is one God.
There is one go-between between God and men – the man Christ Jesus. 6 Christ gave himself for everyone.
He was the price. That was God's proof given at the right time. 7 This is why I was made a preacher,
an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ; I'm not lying.) and a teacher of people who are not Jewish.
I use faith and truth.
8 Everywhere I want the men to do the praying, lifting up holy hands (* the customary manner
of praying to God). No anger. No arguing. 9 In the same way, I want the women to dress modestly.
They should use good sense and be proper, avoiding fancy hairdos and gold, or pearls,
or expensive clothes. 10 Instead, use good deeds to be beautiful. Do what religious women think is right.
11 A woman must learn quietly and put herself completely under authority. 12 I don't allow a woman
to teach over a man or have authority over him. No, she should be quiet. 13 Adam was made first.
Eve was made next. 14 Also, Adam was not seduced; the woman was. She fell into sin.
15 But a woman may be saved through motherhood (* giving birth to children), if she continues
with faith, love, and holiness with good sense.
3 This is something you can trust: "If a man wants to be an overseer, he desires a good work."
2 An overseer:
must be above suspicion
must be a faithful, married man (* literally, the husband of one wife)
must be sensible
must have self‑control
must be organized
must love people enough to invite them into his home
must be a good teacher
3 must not be addicted to wine
must not be a violent man
must not be greedy for money
must be gentle
must be peaceful
must not be covetous
4 must lead his own family well
must have children who put themselves under his authority with all respect.
5 (If a man doesn't know how to lead his own family, he would not know how
to take care of the congregation of God.)
6 He must not be a new convert.
(He might become boastful and fall into the Devil's condemnation.)
7 He must have good things said about him by outsiders.
(Then he will not fall into shame and a trap of the Devil.)
8 In the same way, servants: (* literally, deacons)
must be respectable
must be sincere
must not drink too much wine
must not be greedy for dirty money
9 must hold onto the secret of faith with a clear conscience.
10 These men must be tested first. If no one accuses them, then let them serve as servants.
11 Their wives must be the same way – respectable, not gossips, sensible, and faithful in all things.
12 Servants (* literally, deacons) must be faithful, married men.
They must lead their children and their homes well.
13 The men who serve well as servants will win for themselves a very good position.
And they will be more confident about the faith of Christ Jesus.
God's Community
14 As I write these things to you, I am hoping to come to you soon. 15 But if I'm late, you will know
how we must live in God's family, the community of the living God. We are the pillar and foundation of truth.
16 We must agree that the secret of our faith is great:
Christ appeared in a human body.
He was shown to be right by the Spirit.
He was seen by angels.
He was preached among the nations.
He was believed in the world.
He was taken up to heaven (* literally, glory).
4 The Spirit clearly says that some people will pull away from the faith in later times.
They will follow lying spirits and teachings of demons. 2 Like hypocrites (* those who act
as if they are good, but they're really not) they will tell lies. Their consciences feel nothing,
as though they have been branded with a hot iron. 3 They try to stop people from getting married.
They tell people to stay away from certain foods. God created these foods to be eaten by
thankful believers and people who know the truth. 4 Everything that God created is good.
If anything is received with thanksgiving, it should be accepted. 5 It is made holy through
God's message and prayer.
Be an Example
6 If you present these things to the brothers, you will be a good minister (* or, servant) of
Christ Jesus. You are being fed by the words of faith and good teaching which you have followed.
7 Stay away from unholy stories and old wives' tales. Train yourself to be godly. 8 Physical
training has some importance, but being godly is much more important for everything else.
It promises life for now and in the future.
9 This statement is something you can trust; it is worth complete acceptance: 10 We have put
our hope on the living God. He is the Savior of all men, especially believers. This is why we
work hard and suffer reproach.
11 Order that these things be done. Teach them. 12 Don't let anyone think that just because
you are young what you say is not important. Instead, be an example for believers by what you say
and how you live, with love, faith, and purity.
13 Until I come, spend time reading the Scriptures publicly, comforting people, and teaching them.
14 Don't neglect the spiritual gift that is inside you. It was given to you through a prophetic message,
when the group of elders put their hands on you (* Here it does not mean violence;
it means to appoint - Compare Acts 13:3).
15 Care about these things. Stay with them, so that your progress will be clear to everyone.
16 Watch yourself and what you teach. Stay with them, because if you do these things,
you will save yourself and the people who listen to you.
More Instructions
5 Don't criticize an older man. Instead, comfort him like a father. Treat younger men like brothers.
2 Treat older women like mothers and younger women like sisters, with all purity.
3 Honor widows who are truly widows. 4 But, if a widow has children or grandchildren,
then they should learn to be godly first with their own family. They should repay what they owe
to their grandparents, because this is good and acceptable before God. 5 The widow who is truly a widow
and who is all alone
has
put her hope in God. Day and night she continues praying and asking God
for help.
6 But the widow who lives for pleasure has already died (while she is still living). 7 Give these orders,
so that they will not be accused. 8 If a man does not support his relatives – and especially his own
family – he shows that he does not believe; he is worse than an unbeliever.
9 Don't put a widow on the list for help if she is under 60 years old. She must have been
faithful to her husband. 10 It should be clear to all that she has done good deeds: Did she raise children?
Did she welcome strangers? Did she wash the feet of holy people? Did she help people
who were suffering? Did she practice all kinds of good deeds?
11 Don't put the young widows on the list, because after their sexual desires become strong again,
they want to marry and leave Christ. 12 They become condemned, because they reject their first faith.
13 Also, they learn to be lazy. They go from one house to the next. Not only are they lazy, but they
are gossips and meddlers. They talk about things they shouldn't talk about. 14 I want the
young widows to get married again, have children, and make a home. This will not give the enemy
a chance to say bad things about us. (15 Some have already turned away to follow Satan.)
16 If a believing man or woman has widows in their family, the should support them. Don't let the
congregation get this burden. Then the congregation can support widows who are truly widows.
17 The elders who are good leaders deserve double the pay. This is especially true for those
who work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 The Scripture says,
"Don't put something over the ox's mouth while it is
walking around on the wheat straw."
Deuteronomy 25:4
and
"A
worker should be given his pay."
Luke 10:7
19 When someone accuses an elder, don't accept it unless two or three people are saying
the same thing. 20 There are some people who continue to sin. Prove them wrong publicly.
Then the others will show respect. 21 Before God, and the Lord Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels,
I order to obey these things. Don't pre‑judge or give any special favors to anyone.
22 Don't confirm (* literally, put your hands on) someone too quickly. Don't share in the sins
of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 You are often sick. Do not drink water only. Instead, use a little wine, because of your stomach.
24 The sins of some men are clear. They are punished now. The sins of others appear later.
25 In the same way, good deeds are clear. Even secret good deeds cannot be hidden.
6 All slaves should feel that their masters deserve all honor. Then no one can say something evil about
God's name or the teaching. 2 Slaves who have believing masters should not look down
on their masters, because they are brothers. Instead, these slaves should serve them even better,
because the masters are getting some good from their help. These masters are dear believers.
Healthy Teaching
Comfort people. Teach these things. 3 Someone may teach a different teaching. If he doesn't hold
onto healthy words (the words of our Lord Jesus Christ) and godly teaching, 4 he is boastful.
He doesn't understand anything; he is sick. He likes arguments and fights about words.
Jealousy, fighting, words against God, and evil thoughts occur. 5 There is always trouble
with men who have polluted minds. They don't have the truth anymore. They think that religion
(* godliness) is a way of making money. Withdraw yourself from them. 6 If one is godly and content,
there is great profit! 7 We brought nothing into the world and certainly we can't take anything
out of it. 8 If we have food and clothes, we will be satisfied with these things. 9 But the people
who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish desires that hurt them.
These things drown men in ruin and destruction (* hell). 10 Loving money is the root of all kinds of evil.
Some people want money so badly that they have wandered away from the faith.
They have so painfully wounded themselves.
Fight the Good Fight
11 But you, O man of God, run away from these things. Follow after faith, love, endurance,
what is good, godly, and gentle. 12-13 Fight the good fight of the faith. Hold onto eternal life.
(God gives life to everything.) You were called into this life when you made the good confession
in front of many witnesses. Before God and Christ Jesus who made the good confession
to Pontius Pilate (*
See
John
from all shame, to obey this order until our Lord Jesus Christ appears. 15 God will show this
at the right time. God is happy. He is the only Ruler, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords.
16 Only God never dies. He lives in light. No one can come near it. No human being has seen Him.
No human being is able to see Him. Honor and power belong to Him forever. Amen.
17 Tell the rich people ("rich" in this world) not to brag. They shouldn't place their hope
upon wealth. That is not a sure thing. Instead, they should put their hope on God who abundantly
gives us everything to enjoy. 18 Rich people should do good things. They should be "rich"
in good deeds. They must be generous and want to share. 19 They will store up a good
foundation for themselves in the future. Then they can lay hold on eternal life.
20 Timothy, guard what you were given! Turn away from unholy stories, old wives' tales,
and the opposition of so‑called "knowledge." 21 Some believers have claimed to have this
"knowledge," but they have strayed from the faith.
Gracious
love be with you. Amen.