Salutation

11 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and Christ Jesus our hope; 2 to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Warning against False Doctrine

3 As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine, 4 neither to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith—

5 but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith; 6 from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned aside to vain talking; 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm. 8 But we know that the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully, 9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine; 11 according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

Paul's Thankfulness for Mercy

12 And I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service; 13 although I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience, for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

18 This instruction I commit to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which led the way to you, that by them you may wage the good warfare; 19 holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith; 20 of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

Qualifications of Bishops

31 This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer [1], he desires a good work. 2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching; 3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence; 5 (but if a man doesn’t know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the assembly of God?) 6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Qualifications of Deacons

8 Servants [2], in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money; 9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve [3] if they are blameless. 11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let servants [4] be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well [5] gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Our Religion

14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly; 15 but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great:

God was revealed in the flesh,
justified in the spirit,
seen by angels,
preached among the nations,
believed on in the world,
and received up in glory.