Bible in 90 Days

Greeting

1 From Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy.

To the Thessalonians’ church that is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace and peace to all of you.

Thanksgiving to God

² We always thank God for all of you when we mention you constantly in our prayers. ³ This is because we remember your work that comes from faith,^[a] your effort that comes from love, and your perseverance that comes from hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father. ⁴ Brothers and sisters, you are loved by God, and we know that he has chosen you. ⁵ We know this because our good news didn’t come to you just in speech but also with power and the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know as well as we do what kind of people we were when we were with you, which was for your sake. ⁶ You became imitators of us and of the Lord when you accepted the message that came from the Holy Spirit with joy in spite of great suffering. ⁷ As a result you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. ⁸ The message about the Lord rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia but in every place. The news about your faithfulness to God has spread so that we don’t even need to mention it. ⁹ People tell us about what sort of welcome we had from you and how you turned to God from idols. As a result, you are serving^[b] the living and true God, ¹⁰ and you are waiting for his Son from heaven. His Son is Jesus, who is the one he raised from the dead and who is the one who will rescue us from the coming wrath.

Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica

2 As you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, our visit with you wasn’t a waste of time. ² On the contrary, we had the courage through God to speak God’s good news in spite of a lot of opposition, although we had already suffered and were publicly insulted in Philippi, as you know. ³ Our appeal isn’t based on false information, the wrong motives, or deception. ⁴ Rather, we have been examined and approved by God to be trusted with the good news, and that’s exactly how we speak. We aren’t trying to please people, but we are trying to please God, who continues to examine our hearts. ⁵ As you know, we never used flattery, and God is our witness that we didn’t have greedy motives. ⁶ We didn’t ask for special treatment from people—not from you or from others— ⁷ although we could have thrown our weight around as Christ’s apostles. Instead, we were gentle with you like a nursing mother caring for her own children. ⁸ We were glad to share not only God’s good news with you but also our very lives because we cared for you so much. ⁹ You remember, brothers and sisters, our efforts and hard work. We preached God’s good news to you, while we worked night and day so we wouldn’t be a burden on any of you. ¹⁰ You and God are witnesses of how holy, just, and blameless we were toward you believers. ¹¹ Likewise, you know how we treated each of you like a father treats his own children. ¹² We appealed to you, encouraged you, and pleaded with you to live lives worthy of the God who is calling you into his own kingdom and glory.

How the Thessalonians received God’s message

¹³ We also thank God constantly for this: when you accepted God’s word that you heard from us, you welcomed it for what it truly is. Instead of accepting it as a human message, you accepted it as God’s message, and it continues to work in you who are believers. ¹⁴ Brothers and sisters, you became imitators of the churches of God in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus. This was because you also suffered the same things from your own people as they did from the Jews. ¹⁵ They killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove us out. They don’t please God, and they are hostile to the entire human race ¹⁶ when they try to stop us from speaking to the Gentiles so they can be saved. Their sins are constantly pushing the limit.^[c] God’s wrath has caught up with them in the end.

Paul’s desire to visit

¹⁷ Brothers and sisters, we were separated from you for a while physically but not in our hearts. We made every effort in our desire to see you again face-to-face. ¹⁸ We wanted to come to you—I, Paul, tried over and over again—and Satan stopped us. ¹⁹ What is our hope, joy, or crown that we can brag about in front of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Isn’t it all of you? ²⁰ You are our glory and joy!

3 So when we couldn’t stand it any longer, we thought it was a good idea to stay on in Athens by ourselves, ² and we sent you Timothy, who is our brother and God’s coworker in the good news about Christ. We sent him to strengthen and encourage you in your faithfulness. ³ We didn’t want any of you to be shaken by these problems. You know very well that we were meant to go through this. ⁴ In fact, when we were with you, we kept on predicting that we were going to face problems exactly like what happened, as you know. ⁵ That’s why I sent Timothy to find out about your faithfulness when I couldn’t stand it anymore. I was worried that the tempter might have tempted you so that our work would have been a waste of time.

Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians

⁶ Now Timothy has returned to us from you and has given us good news about your faithfulness and love! He says that you always have good memories about us and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you. ⁷ Because of this, brothers and sisters, we were encouraged in all our distress and trouble through your faithfulness. ⁸ For now we are alive if you are standing your ground in the Lord. ⁹ How can we thank God enough for you, given all the joy we have because of you before our God? ¹⁰ Night and day, we pray more than ever to see all of you in person and to complete whatever you still need for your faith. ¹¹ Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus guide us on our way back to you. ¹² May the Lord cause you to increase and enrich your love for each other and for everyone in the same way as we also love you. ¹³ May the love cause your hearts to be strengthened, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his people. Amen.

Living that pleases God

4 So then, brothers and sisters, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to keep living the way you already are and even do better in how you live and please God—just as you learned from us. ² You know the instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³ God’s will is that your lives are dedicated to him.^[d] This means that you stay away from sexual immorality ⁴ and learn how to control your own body in a pure^[e] and respectable way. ⁵ Don’t be controlled by your sexual urges like the Gentiles who don’t know God. ⁶ No one should mistreat or take advantage of their brother or sister in this issue. The Lord punishes people for all these things, as we told you before and sternly warned you. ⁷ God didn’t call us to be immoral but to be dedicated to him.^{[f] 8} Therefore, whoever rejects these instructions isn’t rejecting a human authority. They are rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

⁹ You don’t need us to write about loving your brothers and sisters because God has already taught you to love each other. ¹⁰ In fact, you are doing loving deeds for all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. Now we encourage you, brothers and sisters, to do so even more. ¹¹ Aim to live quietly, mind your own business, and earn your own living, just as I told you. ¹² That way you’ll behave appropriately toward outsiders, and you won’t be in need.

Believers who have died

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about people who have died^[g] so that you won’t mourn like others who don’t have any hope. ¹⁴ Since we believe that Jesus died and rose, so we also believe that God will bring with him those who have died in Jesus. ¹⁵ What we are saying is a message from the Lord: we who are alive and still around at the Lord’s coming definitely won’t go ahead of those who have died. ¹⁶ This is because the Lord himself will come down from heaven with the signal of a shout by the head angel and a blast on God’s trumpet. First, those who are dead in Christ will rise. ¹⁷ Then, we who are living and still around will be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet with the Lord in the air. That way we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ So encourage each other with these words.

The Lord’s coming

5 We don’t need to write to you about the timing and dates, brothers and sisters. ² You know very well that the day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night. ³ When they are saying, “There is peace and security,” at that time sudden destruction will attack them, like labor pains start with a pregnant woman, and they definitely won’t escape. ⁴ But you aren’t in darkness, brothers and sisters, so the day won’t catch you by surprise like a thief. ⁵ All of you are children of light and children of the day. We don’t belong to night or darkness. ⁶ So then, let’s not sleep like the others, but let’s stay awake and stay sober. ⁷ People who sleep sleep at night, and people who get drunk get drunk at night. ⁸ Since we belong to the day, let’s stay sober, wearing faithfulness and love as a piece of armor that protects our body^[h] and the hope of salvation as a helmet. ⁹ God didn’t intend for us to suffer his wrath but rather to possess salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ Jesus died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with him. ¹¹ So continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are doing already.

Final instructions and blessing

¹² Brothers and sisters, we ask you to respect those who are working with you, leading you, and instructing you. ¹³ Think of them highly with love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. ¹⁴ Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are disorderly. Comfort the discouraged. Help the weak. Be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ Make sure no one repays a wrong with a wrong, but always pursue the good for each other and everyone else. ¹⁶ Rejoice always. ¹⁷ Pray continually. ¹⁸ Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹ Don’t suppress the Spirit. ²⁰ Don’t brush off Spirit-inspired messages, ²¹ but examine everything carefully and hang on to what is good. ²² Avoid every kind of evil. ²³ Now, may the God of peace himself cause you to be completely dedicated to him; and may your spirit, soul, and body be kept intact and blameless at our Lord Jesus Christ’s coming. ²⁴ The one who is calling you is faithful and will do this.

Final greeting

²⁵ Brothers and sisters, pray for us. ²⁶ Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. ²⁷ By the Lord’s authority, I order all of you to have this letter read aloud to all the brothers and sisters. ²⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

Greeting

1 From Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy:

To the church of the Thessalonians, which is in God our Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

² Grace and peace to all of you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and encouragement

³ Brothers and sisters, we must always thank God for you. This is only right because your faithfulness is growing by leaps and bounds, and the love that all of you have for each other is increasing. ⁴ That’s why we ourselves are bragging about you in God’s churches. We tell about your endurance and faithfulness in all the harassments and trouble that you have put up with. ⁵ This shows that God’s judgment is right, and that you will be considered worthy of God’s kingdom for which you are suffering. ⁶ After all, it’s right for God to pay back the ones making trouble for you with trouble ⁷ and to pay back you who are having trouble with relief along with us. This payback will come when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his powerful angels. ⁸ He will give justice with blazing fire to those who don’t recognize God and don’t obey the good news of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the Lord’s presence and away from his mighty glory. ¹⁰ This will happen when he comes on that day to receive honor from his holy people and to be admired by everyone who has believed—and our testimony to you was believed.

¹¹ We are constantly praying for you for this: that our God will make you worthy of his calling and accomplish every good desire and faithful work by his power. ¹² Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored by you, and you will be honored by him, consistent with the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Day of the Lord

2 Brothers and sisters, we have a request for you concerning our Lord Jesus Christ’s coming and when we are gathered together to be with him. ² We don’t want you to be easily confused in your mind or upset if you hear that the day of the Lord is already here, whether you hear it through some spirit, a message, or a letter supposedly from us. ³ Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. That day won’t come unless the rebellion comes first and the person who is lawless is revealed, who is headed for destruction. ⁴ He is the opponent of every so-called god or object of worship and promotes himself over them. So he sits in God’s temple, displaying himself to show that he is God. ⁵ You remember that I used to tell you these things while I was with you, don’t you? ⁶ Now you know what holds him back so that he can be revealed when his time comes. ⁷ The hidden plan to live without any law is at work now, but it will be secret only until the one who is holding it back is out of the way. ⁸ Then the person who is lawless will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath from his mouth. When the Lord comes, his appearance will put an end to him. ⁹ When the person who is lawless comes, it will happen through Satan’s effort, with all kinds of fake power, signs, and wonders. ¹⁰ It will happen with every sort of wicked deception of those who are heading toward destruction because they have refused to love the truth that would allow them to be saved. ¹¹ This is why God will send them an influence that will mislead them so that they will believe the lie. ¹² The result will be that everyone will be judged who is not convinced by the truth but is happy with injustice.

Prayer of thanks and encouragement

¹³ But we always must thank God for you, brothers and sisters who are loved by God. This is because he chose you from the beginning to be the first crop of the harvest. This brought salvation, through your dedication to God by the Spirit and through your belief in the truth. ¹⁴ God called all of you through our good news so you could possess the honor of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵ So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions we taught you, whether we taught you in person or through our letter. ¹⁶ Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and a good hope. ¹⁷ May he encourage your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do or say.

Prayer request

3 Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us so that the Lord’s message will spread quickly and be honored, just like it happened with you. ² Pray too that we will be rescued from inappropriate and evil people since everyone that we meet won’t respond with faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful and will give you strength and protect you from the evil one. ⁴ We are confident about you in the Lord—that you are doing and will keep doing what we tell you to do. ⁵ May the Lord lead your hearts to express God’s love and Christ’s endurance.

Discipline for the undisciplined

⁶ Brothers and sisters, we command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to stay away from every brother or sister who lives an undisciplined life that is not in line with the traditions that you received from us. ⁷ You yourselves know how you need to imitate us because we were not undisciplined when we were with you. ⁸ We didn’t eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, we worked night and day with effort and hard work so that we would not impose on you. ⁹ We did this to give you an example to imitate, not because we didn’t have a right to insist on financial support. ¹⁰ Even when we were with you we were giving you this command: “If anyone doesn’t want to work, they shouldn’t eat.” ¹¹ We hear that some of you are living an undisciplined life. They aren’t working, but they are meddling in other people’s business. ¹² By the Lord Jesus Christ, we command and encourage such people to work quietly and put their own food on the table. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, don’t get discouraged in doing what is right. ¹⁴ Take note of anyone who doesn’t obey what we have said in this letter. Don’t associate with them so they will be ashamed of themselves. ¹⁵ Don’t treat them like enemies, but warn them like you would do for a brother or sister.

Final greeting

¹⁶ May the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you. ¹⁷ I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. This verifies that the letter is from me, as in every letter of mine. This is how I write. ¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

Greeting

1 From Paul, who is an apostle of Jesus Christ by the command of God our savior and of Christ Jesus our hope.

² To Timothy, my true child in the faith.

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.

Timothy’s purpose in Ephesus

³ When I left for Macedonia, I asked you to stay behind in Ephesus so that you could instruct certain individuals not to spread wrong teaching. ⁴ They shouldn’t pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. Their teaching only causes useless guessing games instead of faithfulness to God’s way of doing things. ⁵ The goal of instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. ⁶ Because they missed this goal, some people have been distracted by talk that doesn’t mean anything. ⁷ They want to be teachers of Law without understanding either what they are saying or what they are talking about with such confidence. ⁸ Now we know that the Law is good if used appropriately. ⁹ We understand this: the Law isn’t established for a righteous person but for people who live without laws and without obeying any authority. They are the ungodly and the sinners. They are people who are not spiritual, and nothing is sacred to them. They kill their fathers and mothers, and murder others. ¹⁰ They are people who are sexually unfaithful, and people who have intercourse with the same sex. They are kidnappers,^[i] liars, individuals who give false testimonies in court, and those who do anything else that is opposed to sound teaching. ¹¹ Sound teaching agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God that has been trusted to me.

Thanksgiving

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength because he considered me faithful. So he appointed me to ministry ¹³ even though I used to speak against him, attack his people, and I was proud. But I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and without faith. ¹⁴ Our Lord’s favor poured all over me along with the faithfulness and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ This saying is reliable and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I’m the biggest sinner of all. ¹⁶ But this is why I was shown mercy, so that Christ Jesus could show his endless patience to me first of all. So I’m an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life. ¹⁷ Now to the king of the ages, to the immortal, invisible, and only God, may honor and glory be given to him forever and always! Amen.

Importance of faith and a good conscience

¹⁸ Timothy, my child, I’m giving you these instructions based on the prophecies that were once made about you. So if you follow them, you can wage a good war ¹⁹ because you have faith and a good conscience. Some people have ruined their faith because they refused to listen to their conscience, ²⁰ such as Hymenaeus and Alexander. I’ve handed them over to Satan so that they can be taught not to speak against God.

Prayer for everyone

2 First of all, then, I ask that requests, prayers, petitions, and thanksgiving be made for all people. ² Pray for kings and everyone who is in authority so that we can live a quiet and peaceful life in complete godliness and dignity. ³ This is right and it pleases God our savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵ There is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the human Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a payment to set all people free. This was a testimony that was given at the right time. ⁷ I was appointed to be a preacher and apostle of this testimony—I’m telling the truth and I’m not lying! I’m a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Instructions for men and women

⁸ Therefore, I want men to pray everywhere by lifting up hands that are holy, without anger or argument. ⁹ In the same way, I want women to enhance their appearance with clothing that is modest and sensible, not with elaborate hairstyles, gold, pearls, or expensive clothes. ¹⁰ They should make themselves attractive by doing good, which is appropriate for women who claim to honor God.

¹¹ A wife^[j] should learn quietly with complete submission. ¹² I don’t allow a wife^[k] to teach or to control her husband.^[l] Instead, she should be a quiet listener. ¹³ Adam was formed first, and then Eve. ¹⁴ Adam wasn’t deceived, but rather his wife^[m] became the one who stepped over the line because she was completely deceived. ¹⁵ But a wife^[n] will be brought safely through childbirth,^[o] if they both continue in faith, love, and holiness, together with self-control.

Supervisors in God’s household

3 This saying is reliable: if anyone has a goal to be a supervisor^[p] in the church, they want a good thing. ² So the church’s supervisor must be without fault. They should be faithful to their spouse, sober, modest, and honest. They should show hospitality and be skilled at teaching. ³ They shouldn’t be addicted to alcohol or be a bully. Instead, they should be gentle, peaceable, and not greedy. ⁴ They should manage their own household well—they should see that their children are obedient with complete respect, ⁵ because if they don’t know how to manage their own household, how can they take care of God’s church? ⁶ They shouldn’t be new believers so that they won’t become proud and fall under the devil’s spell. ⁷ They should also have a good reputation with those outside the church so that they won’t be embarrassed and fall into the devil’s trap.

Servants in God’s household

⁸ In the same way, servants^[q] in the church should be dignified, not two-faced, heavy drinkers, or greedy for money. ⁹ They should hold on to the faith that has been revealed with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ They should also be tested and then serve if they are without fault. ¹¹ In the same way, women who are servants^[r] in the church should be dignified and not gossip. They should be sober and faithful in everything they do. ¹² Servants^[s] must be faithful to their spouse and manage their children and their own households well. ¹³ Those who have served well gain a good standing and considerable confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Leading God’s household

¹⁴ I hope to come to you quickly. But I’m writing these things to you so that ¹⁵ if I’m delayed, you’ll know how you should behave in God’s household. It is the church of the living God and the backbone and support of the truth. ¹⁶ Without question, the mystery of godliness is great: he was revealed as a human, declared righteous by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached throughout the nations, believed in around the world, and taken up in glory.

4 The Spirit clearly says that in latter times some people will turn away from the faith. They will pay attention to spirits that deceive and to the teaching of demons. ² They will be controlled by the pretense of lying, and their own consciences will be seared. ³ They will prohibit marriage and eating foods that God created—and he intended them to be accepted with thanksgiving by those who are faithful and have come to know the truth. ⁴ Everything that has been created by God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected. ⁵ These things are made holy by God’s word and prayer. ⁶ If you point these things out to the believers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus who has been trained by the words of faith and the good teaching that you’ve carefully followed. ⁷ But stay away from the godless myths that are passed down from the older women.

Practices of spiritual leadership

Train yourself for a holy life! ⁸ While physical training has some value, training in holy living is useful for everything. It has promise for this life now and the life to come. ⁹ This saying is reliable and deserves complete acceptance. ¹⁰ We work and struggle for this: “Our hope is set on the living God, who is the savior of all people, especially those who believe.” ¹¹ Command these things. Teach them. ¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young. Instead, set an example for the believers through your speech, behavior, love, faith, and by being sexually pure. ¹³ Until I arrive, pay attention to public reading, preaching, and teaching. ¹⁴ Don’t neglect the spiritual gift in you that was given through prophecy when the elders laid hands on you. ¹⁵ Practice these things, and live by them so that your progress will be visible to all. ¹⁶ Focus on working on your own development and on what you teach. If you do this, you will save yourself and those who hear you.

Caring for God’s family

5 Don’t correct an older man, but encourage him like he’s your father; treat younger men like your brothers, ² treat older women like your mother, and treat younger women like your sisters with appropriate respect.

³ Take care of widows who are truly needy. ⁴ But if a particular widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to respect their own family and repay their parents, because this pleases God. ⁵ A widow who is truly needy and all alone puts her hope in God and keeps on going with requests and prayers, night and day. ⁶ But a widow who tries to live a life of luxury is dead even while she is alive. ⁷ Teach these things so that the families^[t] will be without fault. ⁸ But if someone doesn’t provide for their own family, and especially for a member of their household, they have denied the faith. They are worse than those who have no faith.

⁹ Put a widow on the list who is older than 60 years old and who was faithful to her husband. ¹⁰ She should have a reputation for doing good: raising children, providing hospitality to strangers, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in distress, and dedicating herself to every kind of good thing. ¹¹ But don’t accept younger widows for the list. When their physical desires distract them from Christ, they will want to get married. ¹² Then they will be judged for setting aside their earlier commitment. ¹³ Also, they learn to be lazy by going from house to house. They are not only lazy, but they also become gossips and busybodies, talking about things they shouldn’t. ¹⁴ So I want younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their homes so that they won’t give the enemy any reason to slander us. (¹⁵ Some have already turned away to follow Satan.) ¹⁶ If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should take care of them and not burden the church, so that it can help other widows who are truly needy.

Instructions for elders

¹⁷ Elders who lead well should be paid double, especially those who work with public speaking and teaching. ¹⁸ The scripture says, Don’t put a muzzle on an ox while it treads grain,^[u] and Workers deserve their pay.^{[v] 19} Don’t accept an accusation made against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. ²⁰ Discipline those who are sinning in front of everyone so that all the others will be afraid. ²¹ I charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to follow these practices without bias, and without playing favorites. ²² Don’t rush to commission anyone to leadership, and don’t participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself morally pure.

²³ Don’t drink water anymore, but use a little wine because of your stomach problems and your frequent illnesses. ²⁴ The sins of some people are obvious, and the sins are judged before the people must face judgment, but the sins of other people show up later. ²⁵ In the same way, the good that people do is also obvious and can’t be hidden.

Conduct of Christian slaves

6 Those who are under the bondage of slavery should consider their own masters as worthy of full respect so that God’s name and our teaching won’t get a bad reputation. ² And those who have masters who are believers shouldn’t look down on them because they are brothers. Instead, they should serve them more faithfully, because the people who benefit from your good service are believers who are loved. Teach and encourage these things.

Warning about false teachers

³ If anyone teaches anything different and doesn’t agree with sound teaching about our Lord Jesus Christ and teaching that is consistent with godliness, ⁴ that person is conceited. They don’t understand anything but have a sick obsession with debates and arguments. This creates jealousy, conflict, verbal abuse, and evil suspicions. ⁵ There is constant bickering between people whose minds are ruined and who have been robbed of the truth. They think that godliness is a way to make money! ⁶ Actually, godliness is a great source of profit when it is combined with being happy with what you already have. ⁷ We didn’t bring anything into the world and so we can’t take anything out of it: ⁸ we’ll be happy with food and clothing. ⁹ But people who are trying to get rich fall into temptation. They are trapped by many stupid and harmful passions that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some have wandered away from the faith and have impaled themselves with a lot of pain because they made money their goal.

¹¹ But as for you, man of God, run away from all these things. Instead, pursue righteousness, holy living, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. ¹² Compete in the good fight of faith. Grab hold of eternal life—you were called to it, and you made a good confession of it in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ I command you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and Christ Jesus, who made the good confession when testifying before Pontius Pilate. ¹⁴ Obey this order without fault or failure until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵ The timing of this appearance is revealed by God alone, who is the blessed and only master, the King of kings and Lord of lords. ¹⁶ He alone has immortality and lives in light that no one can come near. No human being has ever seen or is able to see him. Honor and eternal power belong to him. Amen.

Wealth of good works

¹⁷ Tell people who are rich at this time not to become egotistical and not to place their hope on their finances, which are uncertain. Instead, they need to hope in God, who richly provides everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸ Tell them to do good, to be rich in the good things they do, to be generous, and to share with others. ¹⁹ When they do these things, they will save a treasure for themselves that is a good foundation for the future. That way they can take hold of what is truly life.

Protect the tradition

²⁰ Timothy, protect what has been given to you in trust. Avoid godless and pointless discussions and the contradictory claims of so-called “knowledge.” ²¹ When some people adopted this false knowledge, they missed the goal of faith.

May grace be with you all.

Greeting

1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, to promote the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.

² To Timothy, my dear child.

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thanksgiving and prayer

³ I’m grateful to God, whom I serve with a good conscience as my ancestors did. I constantly remember you in my prayers day and night. ⁴ When I remember your tears, I long to see you so that I can be filled with happiness. ⁵ I’m reminded of your authentic faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. I’m sure that this faith is also inside you. ⁶ Because of this, I’m reminding you to revive God’s gift that is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ God didn’t give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled.

Don’t be ashamed of the testimony

⁸ So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about the Lord or of me, his prisoner. Instead, share the suffering for the good news, depending on God’s power. ⁹ God is the one who saved and called us with a holy calling. This wasn’t based on what we have done, but it was based on his own purpose and grace that he gave us in Christ Jesus before time began. ¹⁰ Now his grace is revealed through the appearance of our savior, Christ Jesus. He destroyed death and brought life and immortality into clear focus through the good news. ¹¹ I was appointed a messenger, apostle, and teacher of this good news. ¹² This is also why I’m suffering the way I do, but I’m not ashamed. I know the one in whom I’ve placed my trust. I’m convinced that God is powerful enough to protect what he has placed in my trust until that day. ¹³ Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you heard from me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Protect this good thing that has been placed in your trust through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

¹⁵ You know that everyone in Asia has turned away from me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶ May the Lord show mercy to Onesiphorus’ household, because he supported me many times and he wasn’t ashamed of my imprisonment. ¹⁷ After I arrived in Rome, he quickly looked for me and found me. ¹⁸ May the Lord allow him to find his mercy on that day (and you know very well how much he served me in Ephesus).

Pass on the message and share suffering

2 So, my child, draw your strength from the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² Take the things you heard me say in front of many other witnesses and pass them on to faithful people who are also capable of teaching others.

³ Accept your share of suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ Nobody who serves in the military gets tied up with civilian matters, so that they can please the one who recruited them. ⁵ Also in the same way, athletes don’t win unless they follow the rules. ⁶ A hardworking farmer should get the first share of the crop. ⁷ Think about what I’m saying; the Lord will give you understanding about everything.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead and descended from David. This is my good news. ⁹ This is the reason I’m suffering to the point that I’m in prison like a common criminal. But God’s word cannot be imprisoned. ¹⁰ This is why I endure everything for the sake of those who are chosen by God so that they too may experience salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. ¹¹ This saying is reliable:

Speak, instruct, and act correctly

¹⁴ Remind them of these things and warn them in the sight of God not to engage in battles over words that aren’t helpful and only destroy those who hear them. ¹⁵ Make an effort to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker, who doesn’t need to be ashamed but is one who interprets the message of truth correctly. ¹⁶ Avoid their godless discussions, because they will lead many people into ungodly behavior, ¹⁷ and their ideas will spread like an infection. This includes Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have deviated from the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already happened. This has undermined some people’s faith.

¹⁹ God’s solid foundation is still standing with this sign: The Lord knows the people who belong to him,^[w] and Everyone who confesses the Lord’s name must avoid wickedness.^{[x] 20} In a mansion, there aren’t just gold and silver bowls but also some bowls that are made of wood and clay. Some are meant for special uses, some for garbage.^{[y] 21} So if anyone washes filth off themselves, they will be set apart as a “special bowl.” They will be useful to the owner of the mansion for every sort of good work.

Avoid conflict with opponents

²² Run away from adolescent cravings. Instead, pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace together with those who confess the Lord with a clean heart. ²³ Avoid foolish and thoughtless discussions, since you know that they produce conflicts. ²⁴ God’s slave shouldn’t be argumentative but should be kind toward all people, able to teach, patient, ²⁵ and should correct opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will change their mind and give them a knowledge of the truth. ²⁶ They may come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap that holds them captive to do his will.

Avoid people like this

3 Understand that the last days will be dangerous times. ² People will be selfish and love money. They will be the kind of people who brag and who are proud. They will slander others, and they will be disobedient to their parents. They will be ungrateful, unholy, ³ unloving, contrary, and critical. They will be without self-control and brutal, and they won’t love what is good. ⁴ They will be people who are disloyal, reckless, and conceited. They will love pleasure instead of loving God. ⁵ They will look like they are religious but deny God’s power. Avoid people like this. ⁶ Some will slither into households and control immature women who are burdened with sins and driven by all kinds of desires. ⁷ These women are always learning, but they can never arrive at an understanding of the truth. ⁸ These people oppose the truth in the same way that Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. Their minds are corrupt and their faith is counterfeit. ⁹ But they won’t get very far. Their foolishness will become obvious to everyone like those others.

Take Paul as your model

¹⁰ But you have paid attention to my teaching, conduct, purpose, faithfulness, patience, love, and endurance. ¹¹ You have seen me experience physical abuse and ordeals in places such as Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I put up with all sorts of abuse, and the Lord rescued me from it all! ¹² In fact, anyone who wants to live a holy life in Christ Jesus will be harassed. ¹³ But evil people and swindlers will grow even worse, as they deceive others while being deceived themselves.

¹⁴ But you must continue with the things you have learned and found convincing. You know who taught you. ¹⁵ Since childhood you have known the holy scriptures that help you to be wise in a way that leads to salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, ¹⁷ so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good.

Timothy’s commission and Paul’s departure

4 I’m giving you this commission in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is coming to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearance and his kingdom. ² Preach the word. Be ready to do it whether it is convenient or inconvenient. Correct, confront, and encourage with patience and instruction. ³ There will come a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. They will collect teachers who say what they want to hear because they are self-centered. ⁴ They will turn their back on the truth and turn to myths. ⁵ But you must keep control of yourself in all circumstances. Endure suffering, do the work of a preacher of the good news, and carry out your service fully.

⁶ I’m already being poured out like a sacrifice to God, and the time of my death is near. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. ⁸ At last the champion’s wreath that is awarded for righteousness^[z] is waiting for me. The Lord, who is the righteous^[aa] judge, is going to give it to me on that day. He’s giving it not only to me but also to all those who have set their heart on waiting for his appearance.

Final instructions

⁹ Do your best to come to me quickly. ¹⁰ Demas has fallen in love with the present world and has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia. ¹¹ Only Luke is with me. Get Mark, and bring him with you. He has been a big help to me in the ministry. ¹² I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. ¹³ When you come, bring along the coat I left with Carpus in Troas. Also bring the scrolls and especially the parchments. ¹⁴ Alexander, the craftsman who works with metal, has really hurt me. The Lord will pay him back for what he has done. ¹⁵ But watch out for him, because he opposes our teaching.

¹⁶ No one took my side at my first court hearing. Everyone deserted me. I hope that God doesn’t hold it against them! ¹⁷ But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that the entire message would be preached through me and so all the nations could hear it. I was also rescued from the lion’s mouth! ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil action and will save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and always. Amen.

Final greetings

¹⁹ Say hello to Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰ Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus in Miletus because of his illness. ²¹ Try hard to come to me before winter. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters say hello.

²² The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.

Greeting

1 From Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I’m sent to bring about the faith of God’s chosen people and a knowledge of the truth that agrees with godliness.

² Their faith and this knowledge are based on the hope of eternal life that God, who doesn’t lie, promised before time began. ³ God revealed his message at the appropriate time through preaching, and I was trusted with preaching this message by the command of God our savior.

⁴ To Titus, my true child in a common faith.

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

Appointing elders

⁵ The reason I left you behind in Crete was to organize whatever needs to be done and to appoint elders in each city, as I told you. ⁶ Elders should be without fault. They should be faithful to their spouse,^[ab] and have faithful children who can’t be accused of self-indulgence or rebelliousness. ⁷ This is because supervisors^[ac] should be without fault as God’s managers: they shouldn’t be stubborn, irritable, addicted to alcohol, a bully, or greedy. ⁸ Instead, they should show hospitality, love what is good, and be reasonable, ethical, godly, and self-controlled. ⁹ They must pay attention to the reliable message as it has been taught to them so that they can encourage people with healthy instruction and refute those who speak against it.

Correcting rebellious people

¹⁰ In fact, there are many who are rebellious people, loudmouths, and deceivers, especially some of those who are Jewish believers.^{[ad] 11} They must be silenced because they upset entire households. They teach what they shouldn’t to make money dishonestly. ¹² Someone who is one of their own prophets said, “People from Crete are always liars, wild animals, and lazy gluttons.” ¹³ This statement is true. Because of this, correct them firmly, so that they can be healthy in their faith. ¹⁴ They shouldn’t pay attention to Jewish myths and commands from people who reject the truth. ¹⁵ Everything is clean to those who are clean, but nothing is clean to those who are corrupt and without faith. Instead, their mind and conscience are corrupted. ¹⁶ They claim to know God, but they deny God by the things that they do. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified to do anything good.

Teaching all people how to be godly

2 But you should talk in a way that is consistent with sound teaching. ² Tell the older men to be sober, dignified, sensible, and healthy in respect to their faith, love, and patience.

³ Likewise, tell the older women to be reverent in their behavior, teaching what is good, rather than being gossips or addicted to heavy drinking. ⁴ That way they can mentor young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ and to be sensible, morally pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands, so that God’s word won’t be ridiculed. ⁶ Likewise, encourage the younger men to be sensible ⁷ in every way. Offer yourself as a role model of good actions. Show integrity, seriousness, ⁸ and a sound message that is above criticism when you teach, so that any opponent will be ashamed because they won’t find anything bad to say about us.

⁹ Tell slaves to submit to their own masters and please them in everything they do. They shouldn’t talk back ¹⁰ or steal. Instead, they should show that they are completely reliable in everything so that they might make the teaching about God our savior attractive in every way.

¹¹ The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. ¹² It educates us so that we can live sensible, ethical, and godly lives right now by rejecting ungodly lives and the desires of this world. ¹³ At the same time we wait for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of our great God and savior Jesus Christ. ¹⁴ He gave himself for us in order to rescue us from every kind of lawless behavior, and cleanse a special people for himself who are eager to do good actions.

¹⁵ Talk about these things. Encourage and correct with complete authority. Don’t let anyone disrespect you. 3 ¹ Remind them to submit to rulers and authorities. They should be obedient and ready to do every good thing. ² They shouldn’t speak disrespectfully about anyone, but they should be peaceful, kind, and show complete courtesy toward everyone. ³ We were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, and slaves to our desires and various pleasures too. We were spending our lives in evil behavior and jealousy. We were disgusting, and we hated other people. ⁴ But “when God our savior’s kindness and love appeared, ⁵ he saved us because of his mercy, not because of righteous things we had done. He did it through the washing of new birth and the renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ which God poured out upon us generously through Jesus Christ our savior. ⁷ So, since we have been made righteous by his grace, we can inherit the hope for eternal life.” ⁸ This saying is reliable. And I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have come to believe in God might give careful attention to doing good. These things are good and useful for everyone.

Final instructions and greetings

⁹ Avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, and fights about the Law, because they are useless and worthless. ¹⁰ After a first and second warning, have nothing more to do with a person who causes conflict, ¹¹ because you know that someone like this is twisted and sinful—so they condemn themselves.

¹² When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, try to come to me in Nicopolis, because I’ve decided to spend the winter there. ¹³ Help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with enthusiasm so that they won’t need anything. ¹⁴ But our people should also learn to devote themselves to doing good in order to meet pressing needs so they aren’t unproductive.

¹⁵ Everyone with me greets you; greet those who love us faithfully.

Grace be with all of you.

Greeting

¹ From Paul, who is a prisoner for the cause of Christ Jesus, and our brother Timothy.

To Philemon our dearly loved coworker, ² Apphia our sister, Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church that meets in your house.

³ May the grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Paul’s prayer for Philemon

⁴ Philemon, I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers ⁵ because I’ve heard of your love and faithfulness, which you have both for the Lord Jesus and for all God’s people. ⁶ I pray that your partnership in the faith might become effective by an understanding of all that is good among us in Christ. ⁷ I have great joy and encouragement because of your love, since the hearts of God’s people are refreshed by your actions, my brother.

Paul’s appeal for Onesimus

⁸ Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to command you to do the right thing, ⁹ I would rather appeal to you through love. I, Paul—an old man, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus— ¹⁰ appeal to you for my child Onesimus. I became his father in the faith during my time in prison. ¹¹ He was useless to you before, but now he is useful to both of us. ¹² I’m sending him back to you, which is like sending you my own heart. ¹³ I considered keeping him with me so that he might serve me in your place during my time in prison because of the gospel. ¹⁴ However, I didn’t want to do anything without your consent so that your act of kindness would occur willingly and not under pressure. ¹⁵ Maybe this is the reason that Onesimus was separated from you for a while so that you might have him back forever— ¹⁶ no longer as a slave but more than a slave—that is, as a dearly loved brother. He is especially a dearly loved brother to me. How much more can he become a brother to you, personally and spiritually in the Lord!

¹⁷ So, if you really consider me a partner, welcome Onesimus as if you were welcoming me. ¹⁸ If he has harmed you in any way or owes you money, charge it to my account. ¹⁹ I, Paul, will pay it back to you (I’m writing this with my own hand). Of course, I won’t mention that you owe me your life.

²⁰ Yes, brother, I want this favor from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. ²¹ I’m writing to you, confident of your obedience and knowing that you will do more than what I ask. ²² Also, one more thing—prepare a guest room for me. I hope that I will be released from prison to be with you because of your prayers.

Final greeting

²³ Epaphras, who is in prison with me for the cause of Christ Jesus, greets you, ²⁴ as well as my coworkers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke.

²⁵ May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.