1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope,

2To Timothy, my true child in the faith:

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

The Christian ministry

3As I urged you when I was going to Macedo'nia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4nor to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies which promote speculations rather than the divine training1.4 Or stewardship, or order that is in faith; 5whereas the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith. 6Certain persons by swerving from these have wandered away into vain discussion, 7desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions.

8Now we know that the law is good, if any one uses it lawfully, 9understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10immoral persons, sodomites, kidnapers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

12I thank him who has given me strength for this, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful by appointing me to his service, 13though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and insulted him; but I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners; 16but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.1.17 Greek to the ages of ages Amen.

18This charge I commit to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophetic utterances which pointed to you, that inspired by them you may wage the good warfare, 19holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith, 20among them Hymenae'us and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.