Greeting

1 Paul,^(A) an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command^(B) of God our Savior^(C) and of Christ Jesus our hope:^(D)

² To Timothy,^(E) my true son in the faith.

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the^[a] Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

False Doctrine and Misuse of the Law

³ As I urged you when I went to Macedonia,^(F) remain in Ephesus^(G) so that you may instruct certain people^(H) not to teach false doctrine ⁴ or to pay attention to myths^(I) and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan,^(J) which operates by faith. ⁵ Now the goal of our instruction is love^(K) that comes from a pure heart,^(L) a good conscience,^(M) and a sincere faith.^{(N) 6} Some have departed from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion. ⁷ They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on. ⁸ But we know that the law is good,^(O) provided one uses it legitimately. ⁹ We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious,^(P) for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ for the sexually immoral^(Q) and males who have sex with males,^(R) for slave traders, liars,^(S) perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching^{(T) 11} that conforms to the gospel^(U) concerning the glory of the blessed God,^(V) which was entrusted to me.^(W)

The Greatest Command

6 “This is the command—the statutes and ordinances—the Lord your God has commanded me to teach you, so that you may follow them in the land you are about to enter and possess.^{(A) 2} Do this so that you may fear^(B) the Lord your God^(C) all the days of your life^(D) by keeping all his statutes and commands I am giving you, your son, and your grandson, and so that you may have a long life.^{(E) 3} Listen, Israel, and be careful to follow them, so that you may prosper and multiply greatly, because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you a land flowing with milk and honey.^(F)

⁴ “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[a](G) 5} Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.^{(H) 6} These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart.^{(I) 7} Repeat them to your children.^(J) Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol^[b] on your forehead.^[c](K)

Righteousness by Faith Alone

10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them^[a] is for their salvation. ² I can testify about them that they have zeal for God,^(A) but not according to knowledge. ³ Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God^(B) and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. ⁴ For Christ is the end^[b] of the law for righteousness^(C) to everyone who believes,^{(D) 5} since Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them.^{[c](E) 6} But the righteousness that comes from faith^(F) speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?”^[d](G) that is, to bring Christ down ⁷ or, “Who will go down into the abyss?”^[e](H) that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.^{(I) 8} On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.^[f](J) This is the message of faith that we proclaim: ⁹ If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”^(K) and believe in your heart^(L) that God raised him from the dead,^(M) you will be saved. ¹⁰ One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame,^{[g](N) 12} since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek,^(O) because the same Lord^(P) of all^(Q) richly blesses all who call on him. ¹³ For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.^[h](R)