1 Timothy 1

1 This letter comes from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus appointed by the authority of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who is our hope.

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God our Saviour and Christ Jesus our hope:

2 I'm sending it to you Timothy. You are my true son because of your trust in God. May you have grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

To Timothy, my own true son in the faith. May grace, mercy and peace be granted to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 When I was on my way to Macedonia I asked you to stay behind in Ephesus, so that you could speak with those who teach false ideas and insist that they stop.

When I was on my journey to Macedonia I begged you to remain on in Ephesus that you might remonstrate with certain persons because of their erroneous teaching

4 They shouldn't concern themselves with legends and never-ending obsessions about ancestry. Such ideas only lead to pointless debates, instead of understanding God as we trust in him.

and the attention they bestow on mere fables and endless pedigrees, such as lead to controversy rather than to a true stewardship for God, which only exists where there is faith. And I make the same request now.

5 The reason why I insist on this is so we may have love that comes from a pure heart, from a clear conscience and sincere trust in God.

But the end sought to be secured by exhortation is the love which springs from a pure heart, a clear conscience and a sincere faith.

6 Some have deviated from these things, and have ended up talking nonsense.

From these some have drifted away, and have wandered into empty words.

7 They have ambitions to be teachers of the law, but they have no idea what they're talking about or what they're so boldly announcing!

They are ambitious to be teachers of the Law, although they do not understand either their own words or what the things are about which they make such confident assertions.

8 Now we recognize that the law is good if people use it properly.

Now we know that the Law is good, if a man uses it in the way it should be used,

9 We also know that law isn't laid down for those who do what is good and right, but for those who are rebellious and ignore the law. It applies to people who have no use for God, who are sinful, who treat nothing as holy and are completely irreligious. It's for those who kill fathers and mothers, for murderers,

and remembers that a law is not enacted to control a righteous man, but for the lawless and rebellious, the irreligious and sinful, the godless and profane--for those who strike their fathers or their mothers, for murderers,

10 for those who are sexually immoral, homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, false witnesses—and anything else that's opposed to good teachings

fornicators, sodomites, slave-dealers, liars and false witnesses; and for whatever else is opposed to wholesome teaching

11 as determined by the wonderful good news of our blessed God which he entrusted to me.

and is not in accordance with the Good News of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

12 I'm just so grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord for the strength he's given me, and that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to work for him.

I am thankful to Him who made me strong--even Christ Jesus our Lord--because He has judged me to be faithful and has put me into His service,

13 Even though I used to insult God, and persecuted and abused God's people, God showed me mercy because of my ignorance and unbelief.

though I was previously a blasphemer and a persecutor and had been insolent in outrage. Yet mercy was shown me, because I had acted ignorantly, not having as yet believed;

14 Our Lord in his grace filled me to overflowing with trust and love that comes from Christ Jesus.

and the grace of our Lord came to me in overflowing fulness, conferring faith on me and the love which is in Christ Jesus.

15 You can trust this saying that everyone should accept: “Christ Jesus came to this world to save sinners,” and I'm the worst of them.

Faithful is the saying, and deserving of universal acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; among whom I stand foremost.

16 For this reason I was shown mercy—since I'm the worst sinner, Jesus Christ could demonstrate his infinite patience as an example to those who choose to trust in him and gain eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

But mercy was shown me in order that in me as the foremost of sinners Christ Jesus might display the fulness of His long-suffering patience as an example to encourage those who would afterwards be resting their faith on Him with a view to the Life of the Ages. (aiōnios g166)

17 Honor and glory forever and ever to the eternal King, the immortal, invisible, and only God! Amen. (aiōn g165)

Now to the immortal and invisible King of the Ages, who alone is God, be honour and glory to the Ages of the Ages! Amen. (aiōn g165)

18 These are the instructions I want to give to you, Timothy, my son, following the prophecies that brought you this far, so you can fight the good fight!

This is the charge which I entrust to you, my son Timothy, in accordance with the inspired instructions concerning you which were given me long ago, that being equipped with them as your armour you may be continually fighting the good fight,

19 Keep on trusting God and make sure you have a clear conscience. Some have refused to do this and have shipwrecked their trust in God.

holding fast to faith and a clear conscience, which some have cast aside and have made shipwreck of their faith.

20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are such people, and I have “handed them over to Satan” to teach them not to misrepresent God.

Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.