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1 Timothy 1
New International Version
1 Timothy 1
New International Version
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)
Timothy Charged to Oppose False Teachers
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)
The Lord’s Grace to Paul
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)
The Charge to Timothy Renewed
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.
1 Timothy 1
The Message
1 Timothy 1
The Message
1 1-2 I, Paul, am an apostle on special assignment for Christ, our living hope. Under God our Savior’s command, I’m writing this to you, Timothy, my son in the faith. All the best from our God and Christ be yours!
Self-Appointed Experts on Life
3-4 On my way to the province of Macedonia, I advised you to stay in Ephesus. Well, I haven’t changed my mind. Stay right there on top of things so that the teaching stays on track. Apparently some people have been introducing fantasy stories and fanciful family trees that digress into silliness instead of pulling the people back into the center, deepening faith and obedience.
5-7 The whole point of what we’re urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into dead ends of gossip. They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven’t the remotest idea of what they’re holding forth with such imposing eloquence.
8-11 It’s true that moral guidance and counsel need to be given, but the way you say it and to whom you say it are as important as what you say. It’s obvious, isn’t it, that the law code isn’t primarily for people who live responsibly, but for the irresponsible, who defy all authority, riding roughshod over God, life, sex, truth, whatever! They are cynical toward this great Message I’ve been put in charge of by this great God.
* * *
12-14 I’m so grateful to Christ Jesus for making me adequate to do this work. He went out on a limb, you know, in trusting me with this ministry. The only credentials I brought to it were violence and witch hunts and arrogance. But I was treated mercifully because I didn’t know what I was doing—didn’t know Who I was doing it against! Grace mixed with faith and love poured over me and into me. And all because of Jesus.
15-19 Here’s a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. I’m proof—Public Sinner Number One—of someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy. And now he shows me off—evidence of his endless patience—to those who are right on the edge of trusting him forever.
Deep honor and bright glory
to the King of All Time—
One God, Immortal, Invisible,
ever and always. Oh, yes!
I’m passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle, keeping a firm grip on your faith and on yourself. After all, this is a fight we’re in.
19-20 There are some, you know, who by relaxing their grip and thinking anything goes have made a thorough mess of their faith. Hymenaeus and Alexander are two of them. I let them wander off to Satan to be taught a lesson or two about not blaspheming.
1 Timothy 1
The Voice
1 Timothy 1
The Voice
1 Paul, an emissary[a] of Jesus the Anointed commissioned by order of God our Savior and Jesus the Anointed, our living and certain hope), 2 to you, Timothy, my true son in the faith.
May the grace, mercy, and peace that come only from God the Father and our Lord Jesus the Anointed mark your life.
3 As I said that day I left for Macedonia, stay in Ephesus and instruct the unruly people in the church, once and for all, to stop teaching a different doctrine. 4 Tell them to turn away from fables and endless genealogies. These activities just cause more arguments and confusion. Instead, they should concern themselves with welcoming in and bringing about the reign of God, which is all about faith. 5 Our teaching about this journey is intended to bring us to a single destination—a place where self-giving love reigns from a pure heart, a clean conscience, and a genuine faith. 6 Yes, some have walked away from these traits and have fallen into a life of endless blabber and nonsense— 7 they wish to become scholars of the law, but they don’t know what they are talking about, and they make these grand pronouncements but clearly don’t understand what they just said.
8 You and I know the law is good (if used in the right way), and 9 we also know the law was not designed for law-abiding people but for lawbreakers and criminals, the ungodly and sin-filled, the unholy and worldly, the father killers and mother killers, the murderers, 10 the sexually immoral and homosexuals, slave dealers, liars, perjurers, and anyone else who acts against the sound doctrine 11 laid out in the glorious, holy, and pure good news of the blessed God that has been entrusted to me.
12 I thank our Lord Jesus the Anointed who empowers me, because He saw me as faithful and appointed me to this ministry. 13 Despite the fact that at one time I was slandering the things of God, persecuting and attacking His people, He was still merciful to me because I acted in ignorance apart from faith. 14 But He poured His grace over me, and I was flooded in an abundance of the grace and faith and love that can only be found in Jesus the Anointed.
15 Here’s a statement worthy of trust: Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, came into the world to save sinners, and I am the worst of them all. 16 But it is for this reason I was given mercy: by displaying His perfect patience in me, the very worst of all sinners, Jesus the Anointed could show that patience to all who would believe in Him and gain eternal life. 17 May the King eternal, immortal, and invisible—the one and only God—now be honored and glorified forever and ever. Amen.
It is fair to say that Paul never got over the fact that he violently persecuted the church. Even though his rampage against the first followers of Jesus had ended over 20 years earlier, he still grieved because of what he had done. But when Paul was older, he was moved to celebration and praise because God’s mercy is always greater than sin. The Lord Jesus called Paul in the midst of his campaign against Him so that he became a public display of Jesus’ patient love. So, if we think somehow we are too far from God’s mercy, then we should think again.
18 Timothy, my dear child, I am placing before you a charge for the mission ahead. It is in total agreement with the prophecies once spoken over you. Here it is: with God’s message stirring and directing you, fight the good fight, 19 armed with faith and a good conscience. Some have tried to silence their consciences, wrecking their lives and ruining their faiths. 20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are among these; I have had to hand them over to Satan so they might learn not to speak against God.
Footnotes
- 1:1 Literally, apostle
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
The Voice (VOICE)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.