1 Timothy 1

1 From Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the appointment of God, our Saviour, and Christ Jesus, our Hope.

Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, by the order of God our Saviour 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, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, 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; that you may instruct certain people there not to teach new and strange doctrines,

It was my desire, when I went on into Macedonia, that you might make a stop at Ephesus, to give orders to certain men not to put forward a different teaching,

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.

Or to give attention to stories and long lists of generations, from which come questionings and doubts, in place of God's ordered way of life which is in 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.

But the effect of the order is love coming from a clean heart, and a knowledge of what is right, and true 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.

From which some have been turned away, giving themselves to foolish talking;

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.

Desiring to be teachers of the law, though they have no knowledge of what they say or of the statements which they make so certainly.

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

We are conscious that the law is good, if a man makes a right use of it,

9 by one who recognises that laws were not made for good men, 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,

With the knowledge that the law is made, not for the upright man, but for those who have no respect for law and order, for evil men and sinners, for the unholy and those who have no religion, for those who put their fathers or mothers to death, for takers of life,

10 for the immoral, for people guilty of sodomy, for slave-dealers, for liars, for perjurers, and for whatever else is opposed to sound Christian teaching —

For those who go after loose women, for those with unnatural desires, for those who take men prisoners, who make false statements and false oaths, and those who do any other things against the right teaching,

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

Which may be seen in the good news of the glory of the great God, which was given into my care.

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 give praise to him who gave me power, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he took me to be true, making me his servant,

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;

Though I had said violent words against God, and done cruel acts, causing great trouble: but I was given mercy, because I did it without knowledge, not having faith;

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.

And the grace of our Lord was very great, with faith and love which 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!

It is a true saying, in which all may put their faith, that Christ Jesus came into the world to give salvation to sinners, of whom I am the chief:

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 afterwards to believe on him and attain Immortal Life. (aiōnios g166)

But for this reason I was given mercy, so that in me, the chief of sinners, Jesus Christ might make clear all his mercy, as an example to those who in the future would have faith in him to eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

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

Now to the King eternal, ever-living, unseen, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. So be it. (aiōn g165)

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

This order I give to you, Timothy my son, in harmony with the words of the prophets about you, so that by them you may be strong, fighting 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.

Keeping faith, and being conscious of well-doing; for some, by not doing these things, have gone wrong in relation to the faith:

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

Such are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have given up to Satan, so that they may say no more evil words against God.