我保罗奉我们救主上帝和赐我们盼望的基督耶稣的命令,做基督耶稣的使徒, 写信给因信主而做我真儿子的提摩太。

愿父上帝和我们的主基督耶稣的恩典、怜悯和平安临到你!

谨防异端邪说

我去马其顿的时候,曾经劝你继续留在以弗所,好命令那几个人不要传讲异端邪说, 也不要沉迷于虚构的神话和冗长的家谱,因为这些事只会引起无用的猜测和辩论,无法帮助人凭信心认识上帝的救赎计划。 制止这些人的目的是为了爱,这爱来自于清洁的心、无亏的良心和真实无伪的信心。 可惜有些人却偏离这些,转向空洞的谈论。 他们想做律法教师,却不明白自己所谈论所主张的。

我们知道,只要用得合宜,律法本是好的。 因为律法并不是为义人设的,而是为了对付那些目无法纪、大逆不道、不敬畏上帝、犯罪作恶、不圣洁、贪恋世俗、谋杀父母、行凶害命、 10 淫乱、同性恋、拐卖人口、说谎、起假誓的人,以及其他违反正道的人。 11 这正道来自当受称颂的上帝托付我传扬的荣耀福音。

感谢上帝的怜悯

12 我感谢赐我力量的主基督耶稣,因为祂视我忠心可靠,派我事奉祂。 13 尽管我从前是个亵渎上帝、迫害和侮辱信徒的人,但我仍然蒙了怜悯,因为那时我无知,还没有信耶稣。 14 主赐给我丰富的恩典,使我在基督耶稣里有信心和爱心。

15 有句话千真万确、完全可信,就是“基督耶稣降世,为要拯救罪人。”在罪人中我是个罪魁, 16 但我依然蒙了怜悯,因为耶稣基督要在我这个罪魁身上彰显祂无限的忍耐,使我做那些要信靠祂并得到永生之人的榜样。

17 愿尊贵、荣耀归给那位不朽的、肉眼不能见的万世君王——独一无二的上帝,直到永远。阿们!

18 我儿提摩太啊,我依照从前有关你的预言,把这命令托付给你,好使你借此打美好的仗。 19 你要持守信心和无亏的良心。有些人丧掉良心,结果他们的信仰就像船触了礁, 20 其中有许米乃和亚历山大。我已经把他们交给撒旦,使他们受些教训,不敢再说亵渎的话。

I am Paul. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus. God and Christ Jesus told me to be an apostle. God is our Saviour, and Christ is the one who gives us hope.

Timothy, you are my true son because you believe the way I do. I ask God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord to show you love and kindness, and give you peace.

When I went to the country of Macedonia, I asked you to stay in the city of Ephesus. I wanted you to tell some of the teachers not to teach wrong things.

Tell them not to use stories that are not true, and long histories of names. These things often make people quarrel. These things do not make people believe and follow God's way.

Here is what teachers should aim at. God's people should love each other with a love which comes from a clean heart, a clear mind, and true faith.

Some teachers have not tried to do these things and so they talk about things that do no good.

They want to teach the law. But they do not understand what they say. And they do not know what they are trying to prove.

We know that the law is good when anyone uses it in the right way.

He must understand that the law was not made for the man who lives right. It was made for those who do not want any laws over them, and for those who will not obey. It was made for those who do not respect God, and those who are bad people. It was made for those who do not respect anything that is holy or belongs to God. It was made for those who beat their fathers or mothers, and for those who kill people.

10 It was made for those who use sex in the wrong way and for men who have sex with other men. It was made for those who steal people, for those who tell lies, for those who make a promise that is not true, and for any other thing that is not right.

11 The wonderful good news of God teaches what is right. Praise him! And he has trusted me to tell this good news.

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who gave me power to tell the good news. I thank him because he believed he could trust me, and he chose me for this work.

13 There was a time when I did not respect him. I troubled his people. I said wrong things about him. But he was very kind to me, because I did not know what I was doing and I did not believe in him.

14 Our Lord showed me much love and kindness. I believed in him and had the love which comes from Christ Jesus.

15 These are true words and everyone should believe them. `Christ Jesus came into the world to save bad people.' And I am the worst of all.

16 Jesus Christ wanted to show that he is very, very patient. And so he was kind to me who was the worst. He did this so that others would believe in him and live for ever.

17 Give honour and praise for ever and ever to the one who is King for ever. He will never die. He cannot be seen. He is the only God. Yes, he is!

18 My son Timothy, here is what I tell you to do. And it is what the prophets said about you before. Remember their words, and fight like a good soldier.

19 Keep on believing. Do only what you know is right. Some people have not done that and they have stopped believing.

20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are among them. I have given them to Satan so that they will be punished and learn not to teach things that do not respect God.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.