Warning Against False Teachers

^3 (A)As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not ^(B)to teach any different doctrine, ⁴ nor ^(C)to devote themselves to myths and endless ^(D)genealogies, which promote ^(E)speculations rather than the stewardship^[a] from God that is by faith. ⁵ The aim of our charge is love ^(F)that issues from a pure heart and ^(G)a good conscience and ^(H)a sincere faith. ⁶ Certain persons, by ^(I)swerving from these, have wandered away into ^(J)vain discussion, ⁷ desiring to be teachers of the law, ^(K)without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

¹⁸ This charge ^(A)I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with ^(B)the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may ^(C)wage the good warfare, ^19 (D)holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have ^(E)made shipwreck of their faith, ²⁰ among whom are ^(F)Hymenaeus and ^(G)Alexander, whom I ^(H)have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to ^(I)blaspheme.

A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

^6 (A)If you put these things before the brothers,^[a] you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have ^(B)followed. ⁷ Have nothing to do with irreverent, ^(C)silly myths. Rather ^(D)train yourself for godliness; ⁸ for while ^(E)bodily training is of some value, godliness ^(F)is of value in every way, as ^(G)it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. ⁹ The saying is ^(H)trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. ¹⁰ For to this end we toil and strive,^[b] because we have our hope set on the living God, ^(I)who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach ^(J)these things. ^12 (K)Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers ^(L)an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. ^14 (M)Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you ^(N)by prophecy when the council of elders ^(O)laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Practice these things, immerse yourself in them,^[c] so that ^(P)all may see your progress. ^16 (Q)Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save ^(R)both yourself and ^(S)your hearers.

² Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are ^(A)brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

False Teachers and True Contentment

^(B)Teach and urge these things. ³ If anyone ^(C)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with ^(D)the sound^[a] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching ^(E)that accords with godliness,

^12 (A)Fight the good fight of the faith. ^(B)Take hold of the eternal life ^(C)to which you were called and about which you made ^(D)the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

²⁰ O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. ^(A)Avoid the ^(B)irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” ²¹ for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.

^(C)Grace be with you.^[a]