Beginning

1 Paul, an emissary^[a] of Jesus the Anointed commissioned by order of God our Savior and Jesus the Anointed, our living and certain hope), ² to you, Timothy, my true son in the faith.

May the grace, mercy, and peace that come only from God the Father and our Lord Jesus the Anointed mark your life.

³ As I said that day I left for Macedonia, stay in Ephesus and instruct the unruly people in the church, once and for all, to stop teaching a different doctrine. ⁴ Tell them to turn away from fables and endless genealogies. These activities just cause more arguments and confusion. Instead, they should concern themselves with welcoming in and bringing about the reign of God, which is all about faith. ⁵ Our teaching about this journey is intended to bring us to a single destination—a place where self-giving love reigns from a pure heart, a clean conscience, and a genuine faith. ⁶ Yes, some have walked away from these traits and have fallen into a life of endless blabber and nonsense— ⁷ they wish to become scholars of the law, but they don’t know what they are talking about, and they make these grand pronouncements but clearly don’t understand what they just said.

⁸ You and I know the law is good (if used in the right way), and ⁹ we also know the law was not designed for law-abiding people but for lawbreakers and criminals, the ungodly and sin-filled, the unholy and worldly, the father killers and mother killers, the murderers, ¹⁰ the sexually immoral and homosexuals, slave dealers, liars, perjurers, and anyone else who acts against the sound doctrine ¹¹ laid out in the glorious, holy, and pure good news of the blessed God that has been entrusted to me.

¹² I thank our Lord Jesus the Anointed who empowers me, because He saw me as faithful and appointed me to this ministry. ¹³ Despite the fact that at one time I was slandering the things of God, persecuting and attacking His people, He was still merciful to me because I acted in ignorance apart from faith. ¹⁴ But He poured His grace over me, and I was flooded in an abundance of the grace and faith and love that can only be found in Jesus the Anointed.

¹⁵ Here’s a statement worthy of trust: Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, came into the world to save sinners, and I am the worst of them all. ¹⁶ But it is for this reason I was given mercy: by displaying His perfect patience in me, the very worst of all sinners, Jesus the Anointed could show that patience to all who would believe in Him and gain eternal life. ¹⁷ May the King eternal, immortal, and invisible—the one and only God—now be honored and glorified forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸ Timothy, my dear child, I am placing before you a charge for the mission ahead. It is in total agreement with the prophecies once spoken over you. Here it is: with God’s message stirring and directing you, fight the good fight, ¹⁹ armed with faith and a good conscience. Some have tried to silence their consciences, wrecking their lives and ruining their faiths. ²⁰ Hymenaeus and Alexander are among these; I have had to hand them over to Satan so they might learn not to speak against God.

2 So, first and foremost, I urge God’s people to pray. They should make their requests, petitions, and thanksgivings on behalf of all humanity. ² Teach them to pray for kings (or anyone in high places for that matter) so that we can lead quiet, peaceful lives—reverent, godly, and holy— ³ all of which is good and acceptable before the eyes of God our Savior ⁴ who desires for everyone to be saved and know the truth. ⁵ Because

The testimony was given to me at just the right time. ⁷ This is exactly what I was appointed to do—tell everyone His story—as a herald, an emissary,^[b] a teacher of the outsiders in faith and the truth. (Listen, I promise it’s all true. I’m not lying.)

⁸ So here’s what you tell them; here’s what I want to see: Men, pray wherever you are. Reach your holy hands to heaven—without rage or conflict—completely open. ⁹ Women, the same goes for you: dress properly, modestly, and appropriately. Don’t get carried away in grooming your hair or seek beauty in glittering gold, pearls, or expensive clothes. ¹⁰ Instead, as is fitting, let good works decorate your true beauty and show that you are a woman who claims reverence for God. ¹¹ It’s best if a woman learns quietly and orderly in complete submission.

¹² Now, Timothy, it’s not my habit to allow women to teach in a way that wrenches authority from a man. As I said, it’s best if a woman learns quietly and orderly. ¹³ This is because Adam was formed first by God, then Eve. ¹⁴ Plus, it wasn’t Adam who was tricked; it was she—the woman was the one who was fooled and disobeyed God’s command first. ¹⁵ Still, God, in His faithfulness, will deliver her through childbearing as long as she^[c] remains in faith and love and holiness with self-restraint.

3 Here’s another statement you may trust: if anyone is seeking a position as overseer in the church, he desires an honorable and important work. ² Here are the qualifications to look for in an overseer: a spotless reputation, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, sensible, respectable, welcoming to strangers (allowing them into his home), and gifted to teach. ³ Disqualify any drunk or violent man. Look for a gentle man; no belligerent fellow can follow this calling. And he should be free from money lust. ⁴ He should exert good control over his own household, and his children should obey and honor him. ⁵ (If someone can’t manage his own household, then how can he take care of God’s family?) ⁶ He mustn’t be someone recently converted; otherwise, he may become arrogant and fall into the devil’s condemnation. ⁷ He should also be respected for his character and known as an honorable person by people outside of the church so as to avoid the trips, traps, and pitfalls of the devil.

⁸ The same standards apply to deacons: they should be dignified. Double-talking hypocrites, heavy drinkers, and those greedy for ill-gotten gain should not be considered. ⁹ They should be people who hold tight to the great mystery of faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ Put these deacon-candidates to the test first; and if they come through without stumbling, then send them out to serve.

¹¹ Again the same applies to women in key positions; they should also be dignified, not backstabbing gossips but self-controlled and faithful to the core.

¹² Now deacons should live faithfully as the husband of one wife and be in control of their households, including their children. ¹³ Those deacons who serve well will achieve a good standing for themselves in the community and have great confidence to walk in the faith that is in Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King.

¹⁴ I am writing all this to you, hoping I can come to you before too long; ¹⁵ but in case I am delayed, you will know how one ought to behave as a member of God’s family—the assembly of the living God, the pillar and foundation that support the truth— ¹⁶ and I think you will agree that the mystery of godliness is great:

4 But even so, the Spirit very clearly tells us that in the last times some will abandon the true faith because of their devotion to spirits sent to deceive and sabotage, and mistakenly they will end up following the doctrine of demons. ² They will be carried away through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences have been branded with a red-hot iron, ³ saying, “Don’t marry. Don’t eat such-and-such foods.” But God created all these to be received with gratitude by people who hold fast to the faith and really comprehend the truth. ⁴ For everything God made is good. That means nothing should be rejected as long as it’s received with a grateful heart, ⁵ for by God’s word and prayer, it is made holy.

⁶ Place these truths before the brothers and sisters. If you do, you will be a good servant of Jesus the Anointed, raised and fed on words of true belief, trained in the good instruction you have so clearly followed. ⁷ Reject worldly fables. Refuse old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself toward godliness. ⁸ Although training your body has certain payoffs, godliness benefits all things—holding promise for life here and now and promise for the life that is coming. ⁹ This statement is worthy of trust and our full acceptance. ¹⁰ This is what we work so hard for! This is why we are constantly struggling: because we have an assured hope fixed upon a living God who is the Savior of all humankind—especially all of us who believe.

¹¹ So go out and insist on these things. Teach them. ¹² Don’t let anyone belittle you because you are young. Instead, show the faithful, young and old, an example of how to live: set the standard for how to talk, act, love, and be faithful and pure. ¹³ Until I get there, make sure to devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching. ¹⁴ Don’t neglect the gift that was given to you through the prophecy spoken when the company of the elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Cultivate all these practices; live by them so that all will see how you are advancing and growing. ¹⁶ Take care of yourself, concentrate on your teaching, and stick with these things. If you do, then you will be effective in bringing salvation to yourself and all who hear you.

5 Respect an elderly man. Don’t speak to him sharply; appeal to him as you would a father. Treat younger men as brothers, ² elderly women as mothers, and younger women as sisters in all purity.

³ Honor widows, but be discerning about which ones are truly widows. ⁴ If any widow has children or grandchildren, then go to the descendants first and teach them that it is their spiritual responsibility to care for their own family, to repay their parents and grandparents because this is what pleases God. ⁵ Here’s how you know if she is a true widow: she is all alone with her hope fixed in God, crying her pleas, prayers, and appeals to God day and night. ⁶ But the woman who is living for pleasure is dead as she stands. ⁷ You should command these things to everyone to keep them free of blame. ⁸ And listen, if someone is not providing for his own relatives and especially his own household, then he is denying the faith and is worse off than an unbeliever.

⁹ Now only these should be put on the widow registry: a woman who is at least 60 years old, was a faithful wife to one husband, ¹⁰ is well thought of for her good works, has raised children, was hospitable, has washed the feet of the saints, has tended to the sick and suffering, and has devoted herself to do good wherever possible. ¹¹ Don’t add younger women to the widow roll because when their desires for pleasure overtake them, they get careless in their devotion to the Anointed One. Their constant thoughts become, “I want to get married,” ¹² and such thoughts disqualify them because they have tossed aside their first commitment to Him. ¹³ Plus, they get into the habit of being idle. Not only are they idle, but they band together and roam from house to house, gossiping about and meddling into other people’s business; they talk about all sorts of things that should never be spoken of. ¹⁴ That’s why I think it’s best to have the younger widows remarry, have children, and take care of their households so that the enemy gains no opportunity to come with accusations. ¹⁵ (Unfortunately some have already lined up behind Satan!) ¹⁶ Tell any woman of faith: if you have a widow in your family, help her so the church is unencumbered and is free to extend aid to the widows who are truly in need of its help.

¹⁷ Elders who are leading well should be admired and valued. Double up on the honor shown them; care for them well—especially those constantly and consistently teaching the word and preaching. ¹⁸ For the Scripture agrees, “Don’t muzzle the ox while it is treading out your grain,”^[e] and, “The worker deserves his wages.”^[f]

¹⁹ Listen, when or if a charge comes against an elder, don’t even acknowledge the accusation unless there are two or more witnesses. ²⁰ Bring any believers who persist in sinning before the community and publicly scold them so that all the rest will know to fear sin and its consequences. ²¹ I challenge you—in front of God, Jesus His Anointed, and His select heavenly messengers—to keep these instructions. And don’t do anything out of favoritism. ²² Don’t be too quick to lay hands upon anyone or share in the sins of others—stay clean.

²³ Concerning your health, Timothy, don’t just drink water; drink a little wine. It is good for your stomach and will help with your frequent ailments.

²⁴ Some people’s sins are clearly on display before the world. They lead the way to the final judgment. But it’s not so easy with other people because their sins trail behind and don’t catch up to them until later. ²⁵ The same is true regarding good works; some are there for all to see. Other people’s works can be inconspicuous; but at the final judgment, they cannot remain hidden.

6 Tell all who labor under the yoke of slavery to treat their masters with honor and respect, whether or not their masters deserve it. This will keep God’s name and doctrine from being smeared. ² If their masters are believers, then they should not be insolent toward them just because they are your brothers and sisters. Actually they should be even more determined to serve them because the gains from their good works benefit those who are faithful and loved.

Timothy, teach these instructions, and appeal to those under your ministry to live by them. ³ If others are teaching otherwise and bringing unhealthy conversations to the community, if they are not sticking to the sound words in the teaching of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, if they are not teaching godly principles— ⁴ then they are swollen with conceit, filled with self-importance, and without any proper understanding. They probably have a gross infatuation with controversy and will endlessly debate meanings of words. That kind of talk leads to envy, discord, slander, and evil mistrust; ⁵ and these people constantly bicker because they are depraved in their minds and bereft of the truth. They think somehow that godliness is the way to get ahead. ⁶ This is ironic because godliness, along with contentment, does put us ahead but not in the ways some imagine. ⁷ You see we came into this world with nothing, and nothing is going with us on the way out! ⁸ So as long as we are clothed and fed, we should be happy. ⁹ But those who chase riches are constantly falling into temptation and snares. They are regularly caught by their own stupid and harmful desires, dragged down and pulled under into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money—and what it can buy—is the root of all sorts of evil. Some already have wandered away from the true faith because they craved what it had to offer; but when reaching for the prize, they found their hands and hearts pierced with many sorrows.

¹¹ Timothy, don’t let this happen to you—run away from these things! You are a man of God. Your quest is for justice, godliness, faithfulness, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

¹² Fight the good fight of the faith! Cling to the eternal life you were called to when you confessed the good confession before witnesses. ¹³ Before God—the life-giving Creator of all things—and Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, who made the good confession to Pontius Pilate, I urge you: ¹⁴ keep His commandment. Have a spotless, indisputable record until our Lord Jesus the Anointed appears to set this world straight. ¹⁵ In His own perfect time, He will come—blessed is the only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. ¹⁶ He alone possesses immortality; He makes His home in matchless, blinding, brilliant light that no one can approach—no mortal has ever even seen Him, and no human can. So let it be that all honor and eternal power are His. Amen.

¹⁷ Here’s what you say to those wealthy in regard to this age: “Don’t become high and mighty or place all your hope on a gamble for riches; instead, fix your hope on God, the One who richly provides everything for our enjoyment.” ¹⁸ Tell them to use their wealth for good things; be rich in good works! If they are willing to give generously and share everything, ¹⁹ then they will send ahead a great treasure for themselves and build their futures on a solid foundation. As a result, they will surely take hold of eternal life.

²⁰ O Timothy, protect what was entrusted to you! Walk away from all the godless, empty voices out there, and turn aside from objections and arguments that arise from false knowledge. ²¹ (By professing such knowledge, some are missing the mark when it comes to true faith.)

May God’s grace be with you.