Salutation

11 Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ, according to [the] command of God our Saviour, and of Christ Jesus our hope, 2 to Timotheus, [my] true child in faith: grace, mercy, peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Warning against False Doctrine

3 Even as I begged thee to remain in Ephesus, [when I was] going to Macedonia, that thou mightest enjoin some not to teach other doctrines, 4 nor to turn their minds to fables and interminable genealogies, which bring questionings rather than [further] God's dispensation, which [is] in faith.

5 But the end of what is enjoined is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith; 6 which [things] some having missed, have turned aside to vain discourse, 7 desiring to be law-teachers, not understanding either what they say or concerning what they [so] strenuously affirm. 8 Now we know that the law [is] good if any one uses it lawfully, 9 knowing this, that law has not its application to a righteous person, but to [the] lawless and insubordinate, to [the] impious and sinful, to [the] unholy and profane, to smiters of fathers and smiters of mothers; to murderers, 10 fornicators, sodomites, kidnappers, liars, perjurers; and if any other thing is opposed to sound teaching, 11 according to the glad tidings of the glory of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

Paul's Thankfulness for Mercy

12 [And] I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me power, that he has counted me faithful, appointing to ministry him 13 who before was a blasphemer and persecutor, and an insolent overbearing [man]: but mercy was shewn me because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief. 14 But the grace of our Lord surpassingly over-abounded with faith and love, which [is] in Christ Jesus. 15 Faithful [is] the word, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am [the] first. 16 But for this reason mercy was shewn me, that in me, [the] first, Jesus Christ might display the whole long-suffering, for a delineation of those about to believe on him to life eternal. 17 Now to the King of the ages, [the] incorruptible, invisible, only God, honour and glory to the ages of ages. Amen.

18 This charge, [my] 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 maintaining faith and a good conscience; which [last] some, having put away, have made shipwreck as to faith; 20 of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, that they may be taught by discipline not to blaspheme.

Qualifications of Bishops

31 The word [is] faithful: if any one aspires to exercise oversight, he desires a good work. 2 The overseer then must be irreproachable, husband of one wife, sober, discreet, decorous, hospitable, apt to teach; 3 not given to excesses from wine, not a striker, but mild, not addicted to contention, not fond of money, 4 conducting his own house well, having [his] children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (but if one does not know how to conduct his own house, how shall he take care of the assembly of God?) 6 not a novice, that he may not, being inflated, fall into [the] fault of the devil. 7 But it is necessary that he should have also a good testimony from those without, that he may fall not into reproach and [the] snare of the devil.

Qualifications of Deacons

8 Ministers, in like manner, grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not seeking gain by base means, 9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these be first proved, then let them minister, being without charge [against them]. 11 [The] women in like manner grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12 Let [the] ministers be husbands of one wife, conducting [their] children and their own houses well: 13 for those who shall have ministered well obtain for themselves a good degree, and much boldness in faith which [is] in Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Our Religion

14 These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee more quickly; 15 but if I delay, in order that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself in God's house, which is [the] assembly of [the] living God, [the] pillar and base of the truth. 16 And confessedly the mystery of piety is great. God has been manifested in flesh, has been justified in [the] Spirit, has appeared to angels, has been preached among [the] nations, has been believed on in [the] world, has been received up in glory.