Greeting

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

² To Timothy, ^(E)my true child in the faith:

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

Warning Against False Teachers

^3 (G)As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not ^(H)to teach any different doctrine, ⁴ nor ^(I)to devote themselves to myths and endless ^(J)genealogies, which promote ^(K)speculations rather than the stewardship^[a] from God that is by faith. ⁵ The aim of our charge is love ^(L)that issues from a pure heart and ^(M)a good conscience and ^(N)a sincere faith. ⁶ Certain persons, by ^(O)swerving from these, have wandered away into ^(P)vain discussion, ⁷ desiring to be teachers of the law, ^(Q)without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

⁸ Now we know that ^(R)the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹ understanding this, that the ^(S)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 ^(T)sound^[c] doctrine, ¹¹ in accordance with ^(U)the gospel of the glory of ^(V)the blessed God ^(W)with which I have been entrusted.

Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners

¹² I thank him ^(X)who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, ^(Y)appointing me to his service, ¹³ though formerly I was a blasphemer, ^(Z)persecutor, and insolent opponent. But ^(AA)I received mercy ^(AB)because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, ¹⁴ and ^(AC)the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the ^(AD)faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ The saying is ^(AE)trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus ^(AF)came into the world to save sinners, ^(AG)of whom I am the foremost. ¹⁶ But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. ¹⁷ To ^(AH)the King of the ages, ^(AI)immortal, ^(AJ)invisible, ^(AK)the only God, ^(AL)be honor and glory forever and ever.^[d] Amen.

¹⁸ This charge ^(AM)I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with ^(AN)the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may ^(AO)wage the good warfare, ^19 (AP)holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have ^(AQ)made shipwreck of their faith, ²⁰ among whom are ^(AR)Hymenaeus and ^(AS)Alexander, whom I ^(AT)have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to ^(AU)blaspheme.

Pray for All People

2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, ^2 (AV)for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and ^(AW)dignified in every way. ³ This is good, and ^(AX)it is pleasing in the sight of ^(AY)God our Savior, ⁴ who desires ^(AZ)all people to be saved and ^(BA)to come to ^(BB)the knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For ^(BC)there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man^[e] Christ Jesus, ^6 (BD)who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is ^(BE)the testimony given ^(BF)at the proper time. ^7 (BG)For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (^(BH)I am telling the truth, I am not lying), ^(BI)a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸ I desire then that ^(BJ)in every place the men should pray, ^(BK)lifting ^(BL)holy hands without anger or quarreling; ⁹ likewise also ^(BM)that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, ^10 (BN)but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. ¹¹ Let a woman learn quietly ^(BO)with all submissiveness. ^12 (BP)I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. ^13 (BQ)For Adam was formed first, ^(BR)then Eve; ¹⁴ and Adam was not deceived, but ^(BS)the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. ¹⁵ Yet she will be saved through ^(BT)childbearing—if they continue in ^(BU)faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

My Refuge and My Fortress