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.

⁸ Now we know that ^(L)the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹ understanding this, that the ^(M)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 ^(N)sound^[c] doctrine, ¹¹ in accordance with ^(O)the gospel of the glory of ^(P)the blessed God ^(Q)with which I have been entrusted.

³ If anyone ^(A)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with ^(B)the sound^[a] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching ^(C)that accords with godliness, ^4 (D)he is puffed up with conceit and ^(E)understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for ^(F)controversy and for ^(G)quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people ^(H)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, ^(I)imagining that godliness is a means of gain. ⁶ But ^(J)godliness ^(K)with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for ^(L)we brought nothing into the world, and^[b] we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But ^(M)if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹ But ^(N)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, ^(O)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that ^(P)plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of ^(Q)all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

¹¹ But as for you, ^(R)O man of God, ^(S)flee these things. ^(T)Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. ^12 (U)Fight the good fight of the faith. ^(V)Take hold of the eternal life ^(W)to which you were called and about which you made ^(X)the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ^13 (Y)I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, ^(Z)who in his testimony before^[c] Pontius Pilate made ^(AA)the good confession, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until ^(AB)the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which he will display ^(AC)at the proper time—he who is ^(AD)the blessed and only Sovereign, ^(AE)the King of kings and Lord of lords, ^16 (AF)who alone has immortality, ^(AG)who dwells in ^(AH)unapproachable light, ^(AI)whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.