1 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
faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our
Lord.
3 As I exhorted you to stay at Ephesus when I was going into Macedonia,
that you might charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine,
4 neither to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause
disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith — 5 but the end
of the charge is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and
unfeigned faith; 6 from which things some, having missed the mark, have
turned aside to vain talking; 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though
they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.
8 But we know that the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully, 9 as
knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless
and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane,
for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for
the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for
perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;
11 according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was
committed to my trust. 12 And I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our
Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service;
13 although I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent.
However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 The
grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ
Jesus. 15 The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 However,
for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display
all his patience, for an example of those who were going to believe in him
for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God
who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit to you, my child Timothy, according to the
prophecies which led the way to you, that by them you may wage the good
warfare; 19 holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust
away made a shipwreck concerning the faith; 20 of whom is Hymenaeus and
Alexander; whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to
blaspheme.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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