Beginning
Greeting
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope,
2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Warning Against False Teachers
3 As I urged you while I was going to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach any different doctrines 4 or pay any attention to myths and endless genealogies that bring about aimless speculations rather than God’s plan, which centers in faith. 5 The goal of this command is love that comes from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith. 6 By veering away from these things, some have turned aside into meaningless talk. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, although they do not comprehend what they are saying or the things they so strongly affirm. 8 Now, we know that the law is good as long as one uses it correctly— 9 keeping in mind that the law is not laid down for a righteous person, but for lawless and rebellious people, for godless people and sinners, for unholy and worldly people, for those who kill their fathers and those who kill their mothers, for murderers, 10 for sexually immoral people, for homosexuals, for kidnappers,[a] for liars, for perjurers, and for whatever else is opposed to sound teaching— 11 in keeping with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I was entrusted.
God’s Mercy to Paul
12 I give thanks to the one who empowered me, namely, Christ Jesus our Lord, that he treated me as trustworthy, appointing me into his ministry. 13 He did this even though formerly I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. But I was shown mercy, because I acted ignorantly in unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord overflowed on me along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and worthy of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” of whom I am the worst. 16 But I was shown mercy for this reason: that in me, the worst sinner, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his unlimited patience as an example for those who are going to believe in him, resulting in eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, to the immortal, invisible, only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Fight the Good Fight
18 I am entrusting this instruction to you, Timothy, my child, according to the prophecies about you, which were made earlier, so that by them you may fight the good fight, 19 with faith and a good conscience. By rejecting these, some people have suffered shipwreck with regard to their faith, 20 including Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan so that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
Instructions About Worship
2 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, in order that we might live a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this testimony, I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I speak the truth;[b] I am not lying—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 or argument. 9 Likewise, I also want women to adorn themselves with respectable clothing,[c] with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothes, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 A woman should learn in a quiet manner with full submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man. Instead, she is to continue in a quiet manner. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but it was the woman who was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 But she will be saved—while bearing children[d]—if they remain in faith and love and sanctification with self-control.
Qualifications of Overseers
3 This saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to become an overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 It is necessary, then, for the overseer to be above reproach, the husband of only one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not a violent man but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 It is necessary that he manage his own household well, with all dignity making sure that his children obey him. 5 (If a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he might become conceited and fall into the same condemnation as the Devil. 7 In addition, he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the Devil’s trap.
Qualifications of Deacons
8 In the same way, it is necessary that deacons be dignified, not deceitful,[e] not devoted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain— 9 men who hold on to the mystery of the faith with a clean conscience. 10 Let them also be tested first. Then let them serve as deacons, if they are found to be blameless. 11 In the same way women[f] must be worthy of respect, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in everything. 12 Let each deacon be the husband of only one wife, managing his children and his own household well. 13 Certainly, those who serve well as deacons gain for themselves good standing and great boldness in the faith they have in Christ Jesus.
Summary and Doxology
14 I am writing these things to you even though I hope to come to you shortly. 15 But if I am delayed, I wanted you to know how it is necessary to behave in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16 Undeniably, great is the mystery of godliness:
He[g] was revealed in flesh,
was justified in spirit,[h]
was seen by messengers,[i]
was preached among the nations,
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in glory.
Some Will Fall Away
4 The Spirit clearly says that, in later times, some will fall away from the faith, because they devote themselves to deceitful spirits and the doctrines of demons, 2 in connection with the hypocrisy of liars, whose own consciences have been seared. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 In fact, everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
A Good Servant of Christ Jesus
6 If you point out these things to the brothers,[j] you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of the faith and the good doctrine, which you have followed faithfully. 7 Pay no attention to worldly and absurd myths, but train yourself for godliness. 8 For bodily training is beneficial to an extent, but godliness is beneficial in all things, because it holds promise both for life now and for the life to come. 9 This saying is trustworthy and worthy of all acceptance. 10 Indeed, it is for this reason that we work hard and are insulted:[k] because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
11 Insist on these things and continue teaching them. 12 Let no one look down on your youth. Instead, be an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the reading[l] of Scripture, to encouraging, and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy when the elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things. Constantly be involved in them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Pay close attention to yourself and to the doctrine. Persevere in them, because by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.
Attitude Toward Various Age Groups
5 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but encourage him as a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.
Taking Care of Widows
3 Honor widows who are truly widows. 4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to be devoted to their own household and repay their parents,[m] for this is pleasing in the sight of God. 5 Now the widow who is without relatives has put her hope in God and continues in her petitions and prayers night and day. 6 But the widow who lives only for her own pleasure is dead, even while she lives. 7 Insist on these things also, in order that they may be above criticism. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his own family, and especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 Let a widow be put on the list if she is over sixty years old, has been a wife of one husband, 10 and has a good reputation for doing good: if she brought up children, if she showed hospitality to strangers, if she washed the feet of the saints, if she provided help for those in distress, and if she dedicated herself to every good work. 11 But do not put younger widows on the list, for when they have strong sensual desires that pull them away from Christ, they want to marry, 12 and so they bring judgment on themselves because they set aside their former pledge.[n] 13 At the same time, they also learn to be lazy as they go about from house to house. They not only learn to be lazy, but also to be gossips and busybodies, saying things that they should not say. 14 Therefore I want younger widows[o] to marry, to have children, to keep house, and to give no opportunity for the enemy to slander them. 15 In fact, some have already turned away to follow Satan.
16 If any believing woman[p] has widows in her family, let her keep helping them rather than letting them become a burden to the church, so that the church may help those who are truly widows.
Dealing With Elders
17 The elders who lead well should be considered worthy of double honor, especially the ones who work hard in the word and doctrine.[q] 18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,”[r] and “The worker is worthy of his pay.”[s] 19 Do not accept an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 20 In the presence of everyone, rebuke the ones who persist in sin, so that the rest may be afraid.
21 I solemnly charge you, in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, that you follow these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing out of partiality. 22 Do not lay hands on anyone hastily and do not take part in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 Stop drinking just water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent sicknesses.
24 The sins of some people are obvious, going on ahead of them to judgment, but the sins of others follow them there. 25 In the same way, good works are also obvious, and the ones that are not obvious cannot stay hidden.
Dealing With Slaves
6 All who are under a yoke of slavery should consider their own masters worthy of all respect, so that God’s name and his teaching may not be blasphemed. 2 And those who have believing masters should not be disrespectful toward them because they are brothers. Instead, they should serve them even better, because those who benefit from their good service are believers and dear to them.
False Teachers and Their Greed
Teach and urge these things. 3 If anyone teaches different doctrines and does not devote himself to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. Instead, he has a morbid craving for controversies and battles over words, things that produce envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5 and constant frictions among people whose minds are depraved, who have lost hold of the truth, imagining that their godliness is a means of financial gain. Separate yourselves from such people.[t]
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly[u] cannot take anything out. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be satisfied.
9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into complete destruction and utter ruin. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evils. By striving for money, some have wandered away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.
Fight the Good Fight
11 But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of eternal life, to which you were called and about which you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who made a good confession as a witness before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this command without spot and without fault, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will make known at the proper time—the blessed and only ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or is able to see. To him be honor and power forever! Amen.
17 Instruct those who are rich in this present age not to be arrogant or to put their hope in the uncertainty of riches, but rather in God, who richly supplies us with all things for our enjoyment. 18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they are storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.[v]
20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, turning away from godless, empty talk and the contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge.” 21 By professing it, some have veered away from the faith. Grace be with you.[w] Amen.[x]
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.