1 Timothy 4 - 2 Timothy 4

English Standard Version

Some Will Depart from the Faith

4 Now ^(A)the Spirit expressly says that ^(B)in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to ^(C)deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, ² through the insincerity of ^(D)liars whose consciences are seared, ^3 (E)who forbid marriage and ^(F)require abstinence from foods ^(G)that God created ^(H)to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴ For ^(I)everything created by God is good, and ^(J)nothing is to be rejected if it is ^(K)received with thanksgiving, ⁵ for it is made holy ^(L)by the word of God and prayer.

A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

^6 (M)If you put these things before the brothers,^[a] you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have ^(N)followed. ⁷ Have nothing to do with irreverent, ^(O)silly myths. Rather ^(P)train yourself for godliness; ⁸ for while ^(Q)bodily training is of some value, godliness ^(R)is of value in every way, as ^(S)it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. ⁹ The saying is ^(T)trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. ¹⁰ For to this end we toil and strive,^[b] because we have our hope set on the living God, ^(U)who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach ^(V)these things. ^12 (W)Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers ^(X)an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. ^14 (Y)Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you ^(Z)by prophecy when the council of elders ^(AA)laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Practice these things, immerse yourself in them,^[c] so that ^(AB)all may see your progress. ^16 (AC)Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save ^(AD)both yourself and ^(AE)your hearers.

Instructions for the Church

5 ^(AF)Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, ^(AG)younger men as brothers, ² older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

³ Honor widows ^(AH)who are truly widows. ⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn ^(AI)to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for ^(AJ)this is pleasing in the sight of God. ⁵ She ^(AK)who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and ^(AL)continues in supplications and prayers night and day, ⁶ but ^(AM)she who is self-indulgent is ^(AN)dead even while she lives. ^7 (AO)Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. ⁸ But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for ^(AP)members of his household, he has ^(AQ)denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹ Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been ^(AR)the wife of one husband,^{[d] 10} and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has ^(AS)shown hospitality, ^(AT)has washed the feet of the saints, has ^(AU)cared for the afflicted, and has ^(AV)devoted herself to every good work. ¹¹ But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when ^(AW)their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry ¹² and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. ¹³ Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also ^(AX)gossips and ^(AY)busybodies, saying what they should not. ¹⁴ So I would have ^(AZ)younger widows marry, bear children, ^(BA)manage their households, and ^(BB)give the adversary no occasion for slander. ^15 (BC)For some have already strayed after Satan. ¹⁶ If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those ^(BD)who are truly widows.

¹⁷ Let the elders ^(BE)who rule well be considered worthy of ^(BF)double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. ¹⁸ For the Scripture says, ^(BG)“You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, ^(BH)“The laborer deserves his wages.” ¹⁹ Do not admit a charge against an elder except ^(BI)on the evidence of two or three witnesses. ²⁰ As for those who persist in sin, ^(BJ)rebuke them in the presence of all, ^(BK)so that the rest may stand in fear. ²¹ In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels ^(BL)I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, ^(BM)doing nothing from partiality. ^22 (BN)Do not be hasty in the ^(BO)laying on of hands, nor ^(BP)take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. ²³ (No longer drink only water, but ^(BQ)use a little wine ^(BR)for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) ²⁴ The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. ²⁵ So also good works are conspicuous, and ^(BS)even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

6 ^(BT)Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants^[e] regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, ^(BU)so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. ² Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are ^(BV)brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

False Teachers and True Contentment

^(BW)Teach and urge these things. ³ If anyone ^(BX)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with ^(BY)the sound^[f] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching ^(BZ)that accords with godliness, ^4 (CA)he is puffed up with conceit and ^(CB)understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for ^(CC)controversy and for ^(CD)quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people ^(CE)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, ^(CF)imagining that godliness is a means of gain. ⁶ But ^(CG)godliness ^(CH)with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for ^(CI)we brought nothing into the world, and^[g] we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But ^(CJ)if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹ But ^(CK)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, ^(CL)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that ^(CM)plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of ^(CN)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, ^(CO)O man of God, ^(CP)flee these things. ^(CQ)Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. ^12 (CR)Fight the good fight of the faith. ^(CS)Take hold of the eternal life ^(CT)to which you were called and about which you made ^(CU)the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ^13 (CV)I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, ^(CW)who in his testimony before^[h] Pontius Pilate made ^(CX)the good confession, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until ^(CY)the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which he will display ^(CZ)at the proper time—he who is ^(DA)the blessed and only Sovereign, ^(DB)the King of kings and Lord of lords, ^16 (DC)who alone has immortality, ^(DD)who dwells in ^(DE)unapproachable light, ^(DF)whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

¹⁷ As for the rich in ^(DG)this present age, charge them ^(DH)not to be haughty, nor ^(DI)to set their hopes on ^(DJ)the uncertainty of riches, but on God, ^(DK)who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. ¹⁸ They are to do good, ^(DL)to be rich in good works, to be generous and ^(DM)ready to share, ¹⁹ thus ^(DN)storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may ^(DO)take hold of ^(DP)that which is truly life.

²⁰ O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. ^(DQ)Avoid the ^(DR)irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” ²¹ for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.

^(DS)Grace be with you.^[i]

Greeting

1 Paul, ^(DT)an apostle of Christ Jesus ^(DU)by the will of God according to ^(DV)the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,

² To Timothy, ^(DW)my beloved child:

^(DX)Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You

^3 (DY)I thank God ^(DZ)whom I serve, as did my ancestors, ^(EA)with a clear conscience, as I remember you ^(EB)constantly in my prayers night and day. ^4 (EC)As I remember your tears, ^(ED)I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I am reminded of ^(EE)your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and ^(EF)your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. ⁶ For this reason I remind you ^(EG)to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, ⁷ for God gave us ^(EH)a spirit not of fear but ^(EI)of power and love and self-control.

⁸ Therefore ^(EJ)do not be ashamed of ^(EK)the testimony about our Lord, nor of ^(EL)me his prisoner, but ^(EM)share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, ^9 (EN)who saved us and ^(EO)called us to^[j] a holy calling, ^(EP)not because of our works but because of ^(EQ)his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus ^(ER)before the ages began,^{[k] 10} and which now has ^(ES)been manifested through ^(ET)the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, ^(EU)who abolished death and ^(EV)brought life and ^(EW)immortality to light through the gospel, ^11 (EX)for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, ^12 (EY)which is why I suffer as I do. But ^(EZ)I am not ashamed, for ^(FA)I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until ^(FB)that day ^(FC)what has been entrusted to me.^{[l] 13 (FD)}Follow ^(FE)the pattern of ^(FF)the sound^[m] words ^(FG)that you have heard from me, in ^(FH)the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ By the Holy Spirit ^(FI)who dwells within us, guard ^(FJ)the good deposit entrusted to you.

¹⁵ You are aware that ^(FK)all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶ May the Lord grant mercy to ^(FL)the household of Onesiphorus, for he often ^(FM)refreshed me and was not ashamed of ^(FN)my chains, ¹⁷ but when he arrived in Rome ^(FO)he searched for me earnestly and found me— ¹⁸ may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on ^(FP)that day!—and you well know all the service he ^(FQ)rendered at Ephesus.

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

2 You then, ^(FR)my child, ^(FS)be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, ² and ^(FT)what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses ^(FU)entrust to faithful men,^{[n] (FV)}who will be able to teach others also. ^3 (FW)Share in suffering as ^(FX)a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No soldier ^(FY)gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. ^5 (FZ)An athlete is not ^(GA)crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ It is ^(GB)the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. ⁷ Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, ^(GC)risen from the dead, the ^(GD)offspring of David, ^(GE)as preached in my gospel, ^9 (GF)for which I am suffering, ^(GG)bound with chains as a criminal. But ^(GH)the word of God is not bound! ¹⁰ Therefore ^(GI)I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain ^(GJ)the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with ^(GK)eternal glory. ¹¹ The saying is ^(GL)trustworthy, for:

for ^(GS)he cannot deny himself.

A Worker Approved by God

¹⁴ Remind them of these things, and ^(GT)charge them before God^{[o] (GU)}not to quarrel about words, ^(GV)which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,^[p] a worker ^(GW)who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. ¹⁶ But ^(GX)avoid ^(GY)irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are ^(GZ)Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, ^(HA)saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. ¹⁹ But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ^(HB)“The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone ^(HC)who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

²⁰ Now in ^(HD)a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, ^(HE)some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. ²¹ Therefore, ^(HF)if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,^[q] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ^(HG)ready for every good work.

²² So ^(HH)flee ^(HI)youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with ^(HJ)those who call on the Lord ^(HK)from a pure heart. ²³ Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant ^(HL)controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. ²⁴ And ^(HM)the Lord's servant^[r] must not be quarrelsome but ^(HN)kind to everyone, ^(HO)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents ^(HP)with gentleness. God ^(HQ)may perhaps grant them repentance ^(HR)leading to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from ^(HS)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Godlessness in the Last Days

3 But understand this, that ^(HT)in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be ^(HU)lovers of self, ^(HV)lovers of money, ^(HW)proud, ^(HX)arrogant, abusive, ^(HY)disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ^3 (HZ)heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, ^(IA)not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, ^(IB)swollen with conceit, ^(IC)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but ^(ID)denying its power. ^(IE)Avoid such people. ⁶ For among them are ^(IF)those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to ^(IG)arrive at a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as ^(IH)Jannes and Jambres ^(II)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, ^(IJ)men corrupted in mind and ^(IK)disqualified regarding the faith. ⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, ^(IL)as was that of those two men.

All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God

^10 (IM)You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, ¹¹ my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me ^(IN)at Antioch, ^(IO)at Iconium, and ^(IP)at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet ^(IQ)from them all ^(IR)the Lord rescued me. ¹² Indeed, all who desire to ^(IS)live a godly life in Christ Jesus ^(IT)will be persecuted, ¹³ while ^(IU)evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and ^(IV)being deceived. ¹⁴ But as for you, ^(IW)continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom^[s] you learned it ¹⁵ and how ^(IX)from childhood you have been acquainted with ^(IY)the sacred writings, ^(IZ)which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ^16 (JA)All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that ^(JB)the man of God^[t] may be complete, ^(JC)equipped ^(JD)for every good work.

Preach the Word

4 ^(JE)I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, ^(JF)who is to judge the living and the dead, and by ^(JG)his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; ^(JH)reprove, rebuke, and ^(JI)exhort, with complete patience and teaching. ^3 (JJ)For the time is coming when people will not endure ^(JK)sound^[u] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and ^(JL)will turn away from listening to the truth and ^(JM)wander off into myths. ⁵ As for you, ^(JN)always be sober-minded, ^(JO)endure suffering, do the work of ^(JP)an evangelist, ^(JQ)fulfill your ministry.

⁶ For ^(JR)I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my ^(JS)departure has come. ^7 (JT)I have fought the good fight, ^(JU)I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is ^(JV)laid up for me ^(JW)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, ^(JX)the righteous judge, will award to me on ^(JY)that day, and not only to me but also to all ^(JZ)who have loved his appearing.

Personal Instructions

^9 (KA)Do your best to come to me soon. ¹⁰ For ^(KB)Demas, ^(KC)in love with ^(KD)this present world, ^(KE)has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia,^{[v] (KF)}Titus to Dalmatia. ^11 (KG)Luke alone is with me. Get ^(KH)Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. ^12 (KI)Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. ¹³ When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. ^14 (KJ)Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; ^(KK)the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵ Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. ¹⁶ At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. ^(KL)May it not be charged against them! ¹⁷ But ^(KM)the Lord stood by me and ^(KN)strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and ^(KO)all the Gentiles might hear it. So ^(KP)I was rescued ^(KQ)from the lion's mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. ^(KR)To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

¹⁹ Greet ^(KS)Prisca and Aquila, and ^(KT)the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰ Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left ^(KU)Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. ^21 (KV)Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.^[w]

²² The Lord be ^(KW)with your spirit. ^(KX)Grace be with you.^[x]