1 Timothy

1

¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
² To Timothy, genuine child in faith: Grace, mercy, peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
³ Even as I exhorted you, when I was going into Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus in order that you might charge certain ones not to teach different things
⁴ Nor to give heed to myths and unending genealogies, which produce questionings rather than God’s economy, which is in faith.
⁵ But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and out of a good conscience and out of unfeigned faith;
⁶ From which things some, having misaimed, have turned aside to vain talking,
⁷ Desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither the things that they say, nor concerning what they confidently affirm.
⁸ But we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully
⁹ And knows this, that the law is not enacted for a righteous man but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and those who strike their mothers, for murderers,
¹⁰ For fornicators, homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and whatever other thing that is opposed to the healthy teaching,
¹¹ According to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, with which I was entrusted.
¹² I give thanks to Him who empowers me, Christ Jesus our Lord, that He has counted me faithful, appointing me to the ministry,
¹³ Who formerly was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insulting person; but I was shown mercy because, being ignorant, I acted in unbelief.
¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord superabounded with faith and love in Christ Jesus.
¹⁵ Faithful is the word and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am foremost.
¹⁶ But because of this I was shown mercy, that in me, the foremost, Jesus Christ might display all His long-suffering for a pattern to those who are to believe on Him unto eternal life.
¹⁷ Now to the King of the ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
¹⁸ This charge I commit to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you might war the good warfare,
¹⁹ Holding faith and a good conscience, concerning which some, thrusting these away, have become shipwrecked regarding the faith;
²⁰ Of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan that they may be disciplined not to blaspheme.

2

¹ I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men;
² On behalf of kings and all who are in high position, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity.
³ This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God,
⁴ Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth.
⁵ For there is one God and one Mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
⁶ Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to be borne in its own times.
⁷ For which I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I speak the truth; I do not lie), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
⁸ I desire therefore that men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and reasoning;
⁹ Similarly, that women adorn themselves in proper clothing with modesty and sobriety, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly clothing,
¹⁰ But, what befits women professing godly reverence, by good works.
¹¹ Let a woman learn in quietness in all subjection;
¹² But I do not permit a woman to teach or to assert authority over a man, but to be in quietness.
¹³ For Adam was formed first, then Eve;
¹⁴ And Adam was not deceived; but the woman, having been quite deceived, has fallen into transgression.
¹⁵ But she will be saved through her childbearing, if they remain in faith and love and holiness with sobriety.

3

¹ Faithful is the word: If anyone aspires to the overseership, he desires a good work.
² The overseer then must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, of a sober mind, orderly, hospitable, apt to teach;
³ Not an excessive drinker; not a striker, but forbearing; not contentious; not fond of money;
⁴ One who manages well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity
⁵ (But if one does not know how to manage his own house, how will he care for the church of God?);
⁶ Not a new convert, lest being blinded with pride he fall into the judgment suffered by the devil.
⁷ And he also must have a good testimony from those outside, that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
⁸ Deacons must similarly be grave, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for base gain;
⁹ Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
¹⁰ And these also must first be proved; then let them minister if they are unreprovable.
¹¹ Women similarly must be grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
¹² Deacons must be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own houses well.
¹³ For those who have ministered well obtain for themselves a good standing and much boldness in faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
¹⁴ These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly.
¹⁵ But if I delay, I write that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth.
¹⁶ And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: / He who was manifested in the flesh, / Justified in the Spirit, / Seen by angels, / Preached among the nations, / Believed on in the world, / Taken up in glory.

4

¹ But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons
² By means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, of men who are branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron,
³ Who forbid marriage and command abstaining from foods, which God has created to be partaken of with thanksgiving by those who believe and have full knowledge of the truth.
⁴ For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if received with thanksgiving;
⁵ For it is sanctified through the word of God and intercession.
⁶ If you lay these things before the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, being nourished with the words of the faith and of the good teaching which you have closely followed.
⁷ But the profane and old-womanish myths refuse, and exercise yourself unto godliness.
⁸ For bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the present life and of that which is to come.
⁹ Faithful is the word and worthy of all acceptance.
¹⁰ For to this end we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
¹¹ Charge and teach these things.
¹² Let no one despise your youth, but be a pattern to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
¹³ Until I come, attend to the public reading, to the exhortation, to the teaching.
¹⁴ Do not neglect the gift which is in you, which was given to you by means of prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
¹⁵ Practice these things; be in them, that your progress may be manifest to all.
¹⁶ Take heed to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things; for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

5

¹ Do not upbraid an elderly man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,
² Elderly women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
³ Honor widows who are really widows.
⁴ But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show respect toward their own household and to render a return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.
⁵ Now she who is really a widow and is left alone has set her hope on God and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.
⁶ But she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while living.
⁷ These things also charge, that they may be without reproach.
⁸ But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
⁹ Let a widow be enrolled, not under sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,
¹⁰ Well attested for good works, if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has assisted the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.
¹¹ But younger widows refuse; for when they follow their passions in disregard of Christ, they desire to marry,
¹² And thus have condemnation because they have set aside their first pledge.
¹³ And at the same time they also learn to be idle, going around from house to house; and they are not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
¹⁴ I will therefore that younger widows marry, bear children, keep house, give no opportunity to the opposer for reproach;
¹⁵ For already some have turned aside after Satan.
¹⁶ If any believing woman has widows in her family, let her assist them, and let not the church be burdened, that it may assist those who are really widows.
¹⁷ Let the elders who take the lead well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in word and teaching.
¹⁸ For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox that is treading out the grain,” and, “The workman is worthy of his pay.”
¹⁹ Against an elder do not receive an accusation, except based upon two or three witnesses.
²⁰ The ones who sin reprove before all that the rest also may have fear.
²¹ I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels that you keep these things without prejudice, doing nothing by way of partiality.
²² Lay hands quickly on no man, nor participate in others’ sins; keep yourself pure.
²³ No longer drink water only, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
²⁴ The sins of some men are openly manifest, going before to judgment; and for others, they also follow after.
²⁵ Likewise also the good works are openly manifest, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.

6

¹ As many as are slaves under the yoke should regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, lest the name of God and our teaching be blasphemed.
² And those who have believing masters should not despise them, because they are brothers; but rather they should serve them, because those who recompense them for the kindly service received are believers and beloved. These things teach and exhort.
³ If anyone teaches different things and does not consent to healthy words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the teaching which is according to godliness,
⁴ He is blinded with pride, understanding nothing, but is diseased with questionings and contentions of words, out of which come envy, strife, slanders, evil suspicions,
⁵ Perpetual wranglings of men corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, supposing godliness to be a means of gain.
⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain;
⁷ For we have brought nothing into the world, because neither can we carry anything out.
⁸ But having food and covering, with these we will be content.
⁹ But those who intend to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge men into destruction and ruin.
¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all evils, because of which some, aspiring after money, have been led away from the faith and pierced themselves through with many pains.
¹¹ But you, O man of God, flee these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, meekness.
¹² Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold on the eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession before many witnesses.
¹³ I charge you before God, who preserves all things in life, and Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
¹⁴ To keep the commandment spotless, without reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
¹⁵ Which in its own times the blessed and only Sovereign will show, the King of those who reign as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords,
¹⁶ Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honor and eternal might. Amen.
¹⁷ Charge those who are rich in the present age not to be high-minded, nor to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches but on God, who affords us all things richly for our enjoyment;
¹⁸ To do good, to be rich in good works, to be ready to distribute, to be ones willing to share;
¹⁹ Laying away for themselves a good foundation as a treasure for the future, that they may lay hold on that which is really life.
²⁰ O Timothy, guard the deposit, turning away from profane, vain babblings and oppositions from what is falsely called knowledge,
²¹ Because of which some, professing this, have misaimed regarding the faith. Grace be with you.