1 T his letter is from Paul, a missionary of Jesus Christ. I am sent by God, the One Who saves, and by our Lord Jesus Christ Who is our hope.

Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ, according to command of God our Saviour, and of Christ Jesus our hope,

2 I write to you, Timothy. You are my son in the Christian faith. May God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord give you His loving-favor and loving-kindness and peace. Watch for False Teachers

to Timotheus, true child in faith: grace, mercy, peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 W hen I left for the country of Macedonia, I asked you to stay in the city of Ephesus. I wanted you to stay there so you could tell those who are teaching what is not true to stop.

Even as I begged thee to remain in Ephesus, going to Macedonia, that thou mightest enjoin some not to teach other doctrines,

4 T hey should not listen to stories that are not true. It is foolish for them to try to learn more about their early fathers. These only bring more questions to their minds and do not make their faith in God stronger.

nor to turn their minds to fables and interminable genealogies, which bring questionings rather than God's dispensation, which in faith.

5 W e want to see our teaching help you have a true love that comes from a pure heart. Such love comes from a heart that says we are not guilty and from a faith that does not pretend.

But the end of what is enjoined is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith;

6 B ut some have turned away from these things. They have turned to foolish talking.

which some having missed, have turned aside to vain discourse,

7 S ome of them want to be teachers of the Law. But they do not know what they are talking about even if they act as if they do. The Law Is Good

desiring to be law-teachers, not understanding either what they say or concerning what they strenuously affirm.

8 W e know the Law is good when it is used the way God meant it to be used.

Now we know that the law good if any one uses it lawfully,

9 W e must remember the Law is not for the person who is right with God. It is for those who do not obey anybody or anything. It is for the sinners who hate God and speak against Him. It is for those who kill their fathers and mothers and for those who kill other people.

knowing this, that law has not its application to a righteous person, but to lawless and insubordinate, to impious and sinful, to unholy and profane, to smiters of fathers and smiters of mothers; to murderers,

10 I t is for those who do sex sins and for people who do sex sins with their own sex. It is for people who steal other people and for those who lie and for those who promise not to lie, but do. It is for everything that is against right teaching.

fornicators, sodomites, kidnappers, liars, perjurers; and if any other thing is opposed to sound teaching,

11 T he great Good News of our honored God is right teaching. God has trusted me to preach this Good News. Paul Gives Thanks to God

according to the glad tidings of the glory of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord for the power and strength He has given me. He trusted me and gave me His work to do.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me power, that he has counted me faithful, appointing to ministry him

13 B efore He chose me, I talked bad about Christ. I made His followers suffer. I hurt them every way I could. But God had loving-kindness for me. I did not understand what I was doing for I was not a Christian then.

who before was a blasphemer and persecutor, and an insolent overbearing: but mercy was shewn me because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief.

14 T hen our Lord gave me much of His loving-favor and faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

But the grace of our Lord surpassingly over-abounded with faith and love, which in Christ Jesus.

15 W hat I say is true and all the world should receive it. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners from their sin and I am the worst sinner.

Faithful the word, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first.

16 A nd yet God had loving-kindness for me. Jesus Christ used me to show how long He will wait for even the worst sinners. In that way, others will know they can have life that lasts forever also.

But for this reason mercy was shewn me, that in me, first, Jesus Christ might display the whole long-suffering, for a delineation of those about to believe on him to life eternal.

17 W e give honor and thanks to the King Who lives forever. He is the One Who never dies and Who is never seen. He is the One Who knows all things. He is the only God. Let it be so. The Good Fight of Faith

Now to the King of the ages, incorruptible, invisible, only God, honour and glory to the ages of ages. Amen.

18 T imothy, my son, here is my word to you. Fight well for the Lord! God’s preachers told us you would.

This charge, child Timotheus, I commit to thee, according to the prophecies as to thee preceding, in order that thou mightest war by them the good warfare,

19 K eep a strong hold on your faith in Christ. May your heart always say you are right. Some people have not listened to what their hearts say. They have done what they knew was wrong. Because of this, their faith in Christ was wrecked.

maintaining faith and a good conscience; which some, having put away, have made shipwreck as to faith;

20 T his happened to Hymenaeus and Alexander. I gave them over to Satan to teach them not to speak against God.

of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, that they may be taught by discipline not to blaspheme.