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, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is 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 Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the 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.

As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange 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 pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by 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 goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

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

For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion,

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

wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.

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

But we know that the Law is good, if 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.

realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for 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.

and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary 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 glorious gospel 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 strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,

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.

even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted 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.

and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found 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.

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

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.

Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

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 eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. 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 command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight,

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.

keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.

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

Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.