1 Timothy 1
English Standard Version
Greeting
1 Paul, (A)an apostle of Christ Jesus (B)by command of (C)God our Savior and of Christ Jesus (D)our hope,
2 To Timothy, (E)my true child in the faith:
(F)Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Warning Against False Teachers
3 (G)As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not (H)to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor (I)to devote themselves to myths and endless (J)genealogies, which promote (K)speculations rather than the stewardship[a] from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love (L)that issues from a pure heart and (M)a good conscience and (N)a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by (O)swerving from these, have wandered away into (P)vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, (Q)without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
8 Now we know that (R)the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the (S)law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,[b] liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to (T)sound[c] doctrine, 11 in accordance with (U)the gospel of the glory of (V)the blessed God (W)with which I have been entrusted.
Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners
12 I thank him (X)who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, (Y)appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, (Z)persecutor, and insolent opponent. But (AA)I received mercy (AB)because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and (AC)the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the (AD)faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is (AE)trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus (AF)came into the world to save sinners, (AG)of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To (AH)the King of the ages, (AI)immortal, (AJ)invisible, (AK)the only God, (AL)be honor and glory forever and ever.[d] Amen.
18 This charge (AM)I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with (AN)the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may (AO)wage the good warfare, 19 (AP)holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have (AQ)made shipwreck of their faith, 20 among whom are (AR)Hymenaeus and (AS)Alexander, whom I (AT)have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to (AU)blaspheme.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 1:4 Or good order
- 1 Timothy 1:10 That is, those who take someone captive in order to sell him into slavery
- 1 Timothy 1:10 Or healthy
- 1 Timothy 1:17 Greek to the ages of ages
1 Timothy 1
Expanded Bible
1 From Paul, an ·apostle [messenger] of Christ Jesus, by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope.
2 To Timothy [Acts 16:1–5; 1 Cor. 16:10–11; Phil. 2:19–24], a ·true [genuine] child to me ·because you believe [or in the faith]:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Warning Against False Teaching
3 I ·asked [urged; encouraged] you to stay longer in Ephesus [C a major port city in the Roman province of Asia, present-day western Turkey; Acts 19] when I went into Macedonia [C a Roman province in present-day northern Greece] so you could ·command [charge; instruct] some people there ·to stop teaching [or not to teach] ·false things [L different doctrine/teachings; C different from Paul’s Gospel, and so false]. 4 Tell them not to ·spend their time on [occupy themselves with; devote themselves to] ·stories that are not true [myths] and ·on long lists of names in family histories [endless/useless genealogies; Titus 3:9]. These things only bring ·arguments [controversy; or useless speculation]; they do not help God’s ·work [plan; redemptive purpose], which ·is done in [or operates by; or is received by; or is known by] faith. 5 The ·purpose [goal; aim] of this ·command [charge; instruction] is for people to have love, a love that comes from a pure heart and a ·good [clear] conscience and a ·true [genuine; sincere] faith. 6 Some people have ·missed [departed/deviated from] these things and turned to ·useless talk [empty/meaningless/foolish discussion]. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand either what they are talking about or what they ·are sure about [so confidently assert].
8 But we know that the law [C the OT law of Moses] is good if someone uses it ·lawfully [legitimately; as God intended]. 9 ·We also know [or …recognizing this:] that the law is not ·made [intended; laid down] for ·good people [L the just/righteous person] but for those who are ·against the law [lawbreakers; lawless] and for ·those who refuse to follow it [rebels; criminals]. It is for people who are ·against God [godless; ungodly] and are sinful, who are unholy and ·ungodly [irreverent; profane], who ·kill [or strike] their fathers and mothers, who murder, 10 who take part in sexual sins, who ·have sexual relations with people of the same sex [are practicing homosexuals], who ·sell slaves [are kidnappers/slave traders], who tell lies, who speak falsely, and ·who do anything against [or all who live contrary to] the true teaching of God. 11 That teaching ·is part of [accords with; conforms to] the ·Good News [Gospel] of the blessed God that he ·gave me to tell [entrusted to me].
Thanks for God’s Mercy
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who gave me strength, because he ·trusted me [considered me trustworthy/faithful] and ·gave me this work of serving him [placed me in his service; appointed me to ministry]. 13 [Even though] In the past I ·spoke against Christ [L was a blasphemer] and persecuted him and ·did all kinds of things to hurt him [was an arrogant/insolent/violent man; Acts 8:3]. But God showed me mercy, because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 But the grace of our Lord ·was fully given [overflowed; abounded] to me, and with that grace came the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 ·What I say is true [or This saying/word is trustworthy; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:11; Titus 3:8], and ·you should fully accept it [L worthy of full acceptance; C what follows may be an early Christian hymn]: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the ·worst [L first; foremost]. 16 But [L for that reason] I was given mercy so that in me, the worst of all sinners, Christ Jesus could show that he has ·unlimited [immense; perfect; L all] patience. His patience with me made me an example for those who would believe in him and have ·life forever [eternal life]. 17 To the ·King who rules forever [eternal King; L King of the ages], ·who will never die [immortal; incorruptible], ·who cannot be seen [invisible], the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 Timothy, my child, I am giving you ·a command [this charge/instruction] that agrees with the prophecies that were given about you in the past [4:14; 6:12]. I tell you this so that ·by following [or by recalling; L by] them you can fight the good fight. 19 Continue to have faith and ·do what you know is right [L a good conscience]. Some people have rejected this, and their faith has been shipwrecked. 20 Hymenaeus [2 Tim. 2:17] and Alexander [2 Tim. 4:14] have done that, and I have ·given them [handed them over] to Satan so they will learn not to ·speak against God [L blaspheme].
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.