1 Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God our Saviour and Christ Jesus our hope: 2 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 journey to Macedonia I begged you to remain on in Ephesus that you might remonstrate with certain persons because of their erroneous teaching 4 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 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 From these some have drifted away, and have wandered into empty words. 7 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 know that the Law is good, if a man uses it in the way it should be used, 9 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 fornicators, sodomites, slave-dealers, liars and false witnesses; and for whatever else is opposed to wholesome teaching 11 and is not in accordance with the Good News of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. 12 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 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 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 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 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. 17 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. 18 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 holding fast to faith and a clear conscience, which some have cast aside and have made shipwreck of their faith. 20 Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme. | |