1 Timothy 1

1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the appointment of God, our Savior, and Christ Jesus, our hope.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope,

2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: May God, the Father, and Christ Jesus, our Lord, bless you, and be merciful to you, and give you peace.

to Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I beg you, as I did when I was on my way into Macedonia, to remain at Ephesus; so that you may instruct certain people there not to teach new and strange doctrines,

As I urged you to do when I was leaving for Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you can command certain people not to teach a different doctrine.

4 nor to devote their attention to legends and interminable genealogies, which tend to give rise to argument rather than to further that divine plan which is revealed in the faith.

Neither should they pay attention to stories and endless genealogies. These cause arguments rather than helping the plan of God, which is by faith.

5 The object of all instruction is to call forth that love which comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.

Now the goal of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith.

6 And it is because they have not aimed at these things that the attention of certain people has been diverted to unprofitable subjects.

Some people have missed the mark and have turned away from these things to foolish talk.

7 They want to be teachers of the Law, and yet do not understand either the words they use, or the subjects on which they speak so confidently.

They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or what they so confidently affirm.

8 We know, of course, that the Law is excellent, when used legitimately,

But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully.

9 by one who recognizes that laws were not made for good people, but for the lawless and disorderly, for irreligious and wicked people, for those who are irreverent and profane, for those who ill-treat their fathers or mothers, for murderers,

We know this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for a lawless and rebellious people, for ungodly people and sinners, and for those who are godless and profane. It is made for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers,

10 for the immoral, for perverts, for slave traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for whatever else is opposed to sound Christian teaching –

for sexually immoral people, for homosexuals, for those who kidnap people for slaves, for liars, for false witnesses, and for whatever else is against faithful instruction.

11 as is taught in the glorious good news of the ever-blessed God, with which I was entrusted.

This instruction is according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

12 I am thankful to Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has been my strength, for showing that he thought me worthy of trust by appointing me to his ministry,

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord. He strengthened me, for he considered me faithful, and he placed me into service.

13 though I once used to blaspheme, and to persecute, and to insult. Yet mercy was shown me, because I acted in ignorance, while still an unbeliever;

I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. But I received mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief.

14 and the loving kindness of our Lord was boundless, and filled me with that faith and love which come from union with Christ Jesus.

But the grace of our Lord overflowed with faith and love that is in Christ Jesus.

15 How true the saying is, and worthy of the fullest acceptance, that ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’! And there is no greater sinner than I!

This message is reliable and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst of these.

16 Yet mercy was shown me for the express purpose that Christ Jesus might exhibit in my case, beyond all others, his exhaustless patience, as an example for those who were afterward to believe on him and attain eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

But for this reason I was given mercy, so that in me, the foremost, Christ Jesus might demonstrate all patience. He did this as an example for those who would trust in him for eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

17 To the eternal King, ever-living, invisible, the one God, be ascribed honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)

Now to the king of the ages, the immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)

18 This, then, is the charge that I lay on you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with what was predicted of you – Fight the good fight in the spirit of those predictions,

I am placing this command before you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that you might fight the good fight,

19 with faith, and with a clear conscience; and it is because they have thrust this aside, that, as regards the faith, some have wrecked their lives.

holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have shipwrecked their faith.

20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are instances – the men whom I delivered over to Satan so that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

Such are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I gave over to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.