PeacePage
1Timothy
Chapter 1
1 Paul, an apostle
of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, 2 To
Timothy, my loyal child in the faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and
Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I urge you, as I did when I was on
my way to Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain
people not to teach any different doctrine, 4 and not to
occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies that promote speculations
rather than the divine training that is known by faith.
5 But the aim of
such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and
sincere faith. 6 Some people have deviated from these and
turned to meaningless talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the
law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about
which they make assertions. 8 Now we know that the law is
good, if one uses it legitimately. 9 This means
understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the
lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and
profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers, 10 fornicators,
sodomites, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to
the sound teaching 11 that conforms to the glorious gospel
of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
12 I am grateful to
Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful
and appointed me to his service, 13 even though I was
formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received
mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the
grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ
Jesus. 15 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the
foremost. 16 But for that very reason I received mercy, so
that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience,
making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal
life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the
only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 I am giving you
these instructions, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies made
earlier about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, 19 having
faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have
suffered shipwreck in the faith; 20 among them are Hymenaeus
and Alexander, whom I have turned over to Satan, so that they may learn not to
blaspheme.
Chapter
2
1 First of all,
then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be
made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high
positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and
dignity. 3 This is right and is acceptable in the sight of
God our Savior, 4 who desires everyone to be saved and to
come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God;
there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself
human, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all —this was
attested at the right time. 7 For this I was appointed a
herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the
Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 I desire, then, that in every
place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument;
9 also that the
women should dress themselves modestly and decently in suitable clothing, not
with their hair braided, or with gold, pearls, or expensive clothes, 10 but
with good works, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God. 11 Let
a woman learn in silence with full submission. 12 I permit
no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent. 13 For
Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not
deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet
she will be saved through childbearing, provided they continue in faith and
love and holiness, with modesty.
Chapter
3
1 The saying is
sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. 2 Now
a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible,
respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, 3 not a drunkard,
not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. 4 He
must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and
respectful in every way— 5 for if someone does not know how
to manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church? 6 He
must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into
the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well
thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of
the devil.
8 Deacons likewise
must be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for
money; 9 they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith
with a clear conscience. 10 And let them first be tested;
then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons. 11 Women
likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all
things. 12 Let deacons be married only once, and let them
manage their children and their households well; 13 for
those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and great
boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 I hope to come to
you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, 15 if
I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God,
which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. 16 Without
any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great: He was revealed in flesh,
vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in
throughout the world, taken up in glory.
Chapter
4
1 Now the Spirit
expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying
attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through
the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. 3 They
forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods, which God created to be
received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For
everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it
is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by
God's word and by prayer.
6 If you put these
instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of
Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching
that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with profane
myths and old wives' tales. Train yourself in godliness, 8 for,
while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way,
holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 The
saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. 10 For to this
end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who
is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 11 These
are the things you must insist on and teach. 12 Let no one
despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in
love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I arrive, give attention
to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. 14 Do
not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy
with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. 15 Put
these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your
progress. 16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching;
continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and
your hearers.
Chapter
5
1 Do not speak
harshly to an older man, but speak to him as to a father, to younger men as
brothers, 2 to older women as mothers, to younger women as
sisters—with absolute purity.
3 Honor widows who
are really widows. 4 If a widow has children or
grandchildren, they should first learn their religious duty to their own family
and make some repayment to their parents; for this is pleasing in God's sight. 5 The
real widow, left alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications
and prayers night and day; 6 but the widow who lives for
pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give these commands
as well, so that they may be above reproach. 8 And whoever
does not provide for relatives, and especially for family members, has denied
the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 9 Let a widow be
put on the list if she is not less than sixty years old and has been married
only once; 10 she must be well attested for her good works,
as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints' feet,
helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way. 11 But
refuse to put younger widows on the list; for when their sensual desires
alienate them from Christ, they want to marry, 12 and so
they incur condemnation for having violated their first pledge. 13 Besides
that, they learn to be idle, gadding about from house to house; and they are not
merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not say. 14 So
I would have younger widows marry, bear children, and manage their households,
so as to give the adversary no occasion to revile us. 15 For
some have already turned away to follow Satan. 16 If any
believing woman has relatives who are really widows, let her assist them; let
the church not be burdened, so that it can assist those who are real widows.
17 Let the elders who
rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching; 18 for
the scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out
the grain," and, "The laborer deserves to be paid." 19 Never
accept any accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three
witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them
in the presence of all, so that the rest also may stand in fear. 21 In
the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I warn you to
keep these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing on the basis of
partiality. 22 Do not ordain anyone hastily, and do not
participate in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23 No
longer drink only water, but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach
and your frequent ailments. 24 The sins of some people are
conspicuous and precede them to judgment, while the sins of others follow them
there. 25 So also good works are conspicuous; and even when
they are not, they cannot remain hidden.
Chapter
6
1 Let all who are
under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that
the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed. 2 Those
who have believing masters must not be disrespectful to them on the ground that
they are members of the church; rather they must serve them all the more, since
those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved.
Teach and urge these duties. 3 Whoever
teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus
Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness, 4 is
conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and
for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base
suspicions, 5 and wrangling among those who are depraved in
mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
6 Of course, there
is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; 7 for
we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; 8 but
if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But
those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many
senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For
the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be
rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many
pains. 11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12 Fight
the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were
called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many
witnesses.
13 In the presence of
God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony
before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to
keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord
Jesus Christ, 15 which he will bring about at the right time—he
who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 It
is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one
has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. 17 As
for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or
to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly
provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are
to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, 19 thus
storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so
that they may take hold of the life that really is life. 20 Timothy,
guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and
contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge; 21 by
professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith.
Grace be with you.
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This page maintained by
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Last revised: February 8, 2003