Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Paul as an example of God’s saving grace

¹² I thank Messiah Jesus our Lord, who gave me strength. He regarded me as trustworthy by appointing me to his service— ¹³ even though I used to say blasphemous things against him, and persecuted his people violently! But I received mercy, because in my unbelief I didn’t know what I was doing. ¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord was more than enough for me, with the faith and love that are in Messiah Jesus. ¹⁵ Here is a word you can trust, which deserves total approval: “Messiah Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I’m the worst of them! ¹⁶ But this was why I received mercy: so that in me, precisely as the worst, Messiah Jesus could demonstrate the full scale of his patience, and make me a pattern for those who were going to believe in him and so attain the life of the age to come. ¹⁷ To the King of the ages, the one and only God, immortal and invisible, be honor and glory to the ages of ages, Amen!

The battle of faith

¹⁸ I am giving you this command, Timothy my child, in accordance with the prophecies which were made about you before, so that, as they said, you may fight the glorious battle, ¹⁹ holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected conscience, and their faith has been shipwrecked. ²⁰ I include Hymenaeus and Alexander in that category. Indeed, I have handed them over to the satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.