1 Timothy 2
Contemporary English Version
How To Pray
2 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. 2 Pray for kings and others in power, so we may live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honor God. 3 This kind of prayer is good, and it pleases God our Savior. 4 God wants everyone to be saved and to know the whole truth, which is,
5 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.
6 God showed us this
at the right time.
7 (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.
8 I want everyone everywhere to lift innocent hands toward heaven and pray, without being angry or arguing with each other.
9 (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
- 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.”
1 Timothy 2
New King James Version
Pray for All Men
2 Therefore I [a]exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 (A)for kings and (B)all who are in [b]authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and [c]reverence. 3 For this is (C)good and acceptable in the sight (D)of God our Savior, 4 (E)who desires all men to be saved (F)and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 (G)For there is one God and (H)one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 (I)who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 (J)for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth [d]in Christ and not lying—(K)a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
Men and Women in the Church
8 I desire therefore that the men pray (L)everywhere, (M)lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; 9 in like manner also, that the (N)women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and [e]moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 (O)but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. 11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And (P)I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 2:1 encourage
- 1 Timothy 2:2 a prominent place
- 1 Timothy 2:2 dignity
- 1 Timothy 2:7 NU omits in Christ
- 1 Timothy 2:9 discretion
1 Timothy 2
Amplified Bible
A Call to Prayer
2 First of all, then, I urge that petitions (specific requests), prayers, intercessions (prayers for others) and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all people, 2 for [a]kings and all who are in [positions of] high authority, so that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This [kind of praying] is good and acceptable and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who [b]wishes all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge and recognition of the [divine] truth. 5 For there is [only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and mankind, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom [a substitutionary sacrifice to atone] for all, the testimony given at the right and proper time. 7 And for this matter I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying [when I say this]—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and disputing or quarreling or doubt [in their mind].
Women Instructed
9 Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves modestly and appropriately and discreetly in proper clothing, not with [elaborately] braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but instead adorned by good deeds [helping others], as is proper for women who profess to worship God. 11 A woman must quietly receive instruction with all submissiveness. 12 I do not allow a woman to [c]teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet [in the congregation]. 13 For Adam was formed first [by God from the earth], then Eve;(A) 14 and it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman who was led astray and [d]fell into sin.(B) 15 But women will be [e]preserved (saved) through [the pain and dangers of] the bearing of children [f]if they continue in faith and love and holiness with self-control and discretion.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 2:2 Nero ruled as emperor of Rome at this time.
- 1 Timothy 2:4 Salvation is offered to everyone, but each individual must choose to accept or reject God’s gracious offer.
- 1 Timothy 2:12 The early church evidently followed Jewish practices in religious education. In Israel, mothers taught their daughters, and it was the father’s responsibility to teach his sons in all areas, including religious education. So Paul’s prohibitions here are consistent with the practices of his day.
- 1 Timothy 2:14 Lit has come to be in.
- 1 Timothy 2:15 This is considered one of the more difficult verses in the NT to interpret. Part of the difficulty is that the Greek verb rendered “preserved” is literally “saved,” which could refer either to physical preservation or to salvation. Some expositors interpret the verb as referring to the blessings of a woman’s role as wife and mother, especially in regard to raising godly children. However, the wording of the verse seen here reflects the interpretation that Paul is speaking, in broad terms, of protection from the dangers of childbirth.
- 1 Timothy 2:15 The blessings on a woman are the result of her adherence to the virtues listed.
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
