A Call to Prayer

First of all, then, I urge that (A)requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people, (B)for kings and all who are in [a]authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and [b]dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of (C)God our Savior, (D)who wants all people to be (E)saved and to (F)come to the [c]knowledge of the truth. For there is (G)one God, and (H)one mediator also between God and mankind, the (I)man Christ Jesus, who (J)gave Himself as a ransom for all, the (K)testimony [d]given at [e](L)the proper time. (M)For this I was appointed as a [f]preacher and (N)an apostle ((O)I am telling the truth, I am not lying), as a teacher of (P)the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Instructions for Believers

Therefore (Q)I want the men (R)in every place to pray, (S)lifting up (T)holy hands, without anger and dispute. Likewise, I want (U)women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, [g]modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive apparel, 10 but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. 11 (V)A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12 (W)But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13 (X)For it was Adam who was first [h]created, and then Eve. 14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but (Y)the woman was [i]deceived and [j]became a wrongdoer. 15 But [k]women will be [l]preserved through [m]childbirth—if they continue in (Z)faith, love, and sanctity, with moderation.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 2:2 Or a high position
  2. 1 Timothy 2:2 Or seriousness
  3. 1 Timothy 2:4 Or recognition
  4. 1 Timothy 2:6 Or to be given
  5. 1 Timothy 2:6 Lit its own times
  6. 1 Timothy 2:7 Or herald
  7. 1 Timothy 2:9 Lit with modesty
  8. 1 Timothy 2:13 Or formed
  9. 1 Timothy 2:14 Or thoroughly deceived
  10. 1 Timothy 2:14 Lit has become
  11. 1 Timothy 2:15 Lit she
  12. 1 Timothy 2:15 Or saved
  13. 1 Timothy 2:15 Or the childbirth; or the bearing of children

Instructions on Worship

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers,(A) intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority,(B) that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness(C) and holiness. This is good, and pleases(D) God our Savior,(E) who wants(F) all people(G) to be saved(H) and to come to a knowledge of the truth.(I) For there is one God(J) and one mediator(K) between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,(L) who gave himself as a ransom(M) for all people. This has now been witnessed to(N) at the proper time.(O) And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying(P)—and a true and faithful teacher(Q) of the Gentiles.(R)

Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands(S) without anger or disputing. I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,(T) 10 but with good deeds,(U) appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

11 A woman[a] should learn in quietness and full submission.(V) 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man;[b] she must be quiet.(W) 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.(X) 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.(Y) 15 But women[c] will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love(Z) and holiness with propriety.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 2:11 Or wife; also in verse 12
  2. 1 Timothy 2:12 Or over her husband
  3. 1 Timothy 2:15 Greek she

How To Pray

First of all, I ask you to pray for everyone. Ask God to help and bless them all, and tell God how thankful you are for each of them. Pray for kings and others in power, so we may live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honor God. This kind of prayer is good, and it pleases God our Savior. God wants everyone to be saved and to know the whole truth, which is,

There is only one God,
and Christ Jesus
    is the only one
who can bring us
    to God.
Jesus was truly human,
and he gave himself
    to rescue all of us.
God showed us this
    at the right time.

(A) This is why God chose me to be a preacher and an apostle of the good news. I am telling the truth. I am not lying. God sent me to teach the Gentiles about faith and truth.

I want everyone everywhere to lift innocent hands toward heaven and pray, without being angry or arguing with each other.

(B) I would like for women to wear modest and sensible clothes. They should not have fancy hairdos, or wear expensive clothes, or put on jewelry made of gold or pearls. 10 Women who claim to love God should do helpful things for others, 11 and they should learn by being quiet and paying attention. 12 They should be silent and not be allowed to teach or to tell men what to do. 13 (C) After all, Adam was created before Eve, 14 (D) and the man Adam wasn't the one who was fooled. It was the woman Eve who was completely fooled and sinned. 15 But women will be saved by having children,[a] if they stay faithful, loving, holy, and modest.

Footnotes

  1. 2.15 saved by having children: Or “brought safely through childbirth” or “saved by the birth of a child” (that is, by the birth of Jesus) or “saved by being good mothers.”

Simple Faith and Plain Truth

1-3 The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.

4-7 He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned: that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.

8-10 Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray—not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it.

11-15 I don’t let women take over and tell the men what to do. They should study to be quiet and obedient along with everyone else. Adam was made first, then Eve; woman was deceived first—our pioneer in sin!—with Adam right on her heels. On the other hand, her childbearing brought about salvation, reversing Eve. But this salvation only comes to those who continue in faith, love, and holiness, gathering it all into maturity. You can depend on this.