Timothy Chapters

1 | ¹From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, by command of God, our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, our hope, ²to Timothy, my true son in the faith.

May God the Father and Christ Jesus, our Lord, give you grace, mercy, and peace.

False Teachers

•  ³When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to remain in Ephesus to warn certain persons not to teach false doctrine, ⁴or to concern themselves with fables and endless genealogies. These give rise to discussions rather than promoting a better service of God through faith. ⁵The aim of our warning is love, which comes from a pure mind, a good conscience and sincere faith.

⁶Some have turned away from such motivation and have strayed into useless discussions. ⁷They claim to be teachers of the law when, in fact, they understand neither what they say nor the things they speak about.

⁸We know that the law is good if it serves its purpose. ⁹The law is not for the righteous, but for the lawless, and the wicked and sinful, for those who do not respect God and religion, for those who kill their parents, for murderers, ¹⁰for those who indulge in unlawful sex and homosexuality, for kidnappers and exploiters, for liars and perjurers, and for all that is contrary to sound doctrine, ¹¹to the gospel of the God of glory and happiness which was entrusted to me.

¹²I give thanks to Christ Jesus, our Lord, who is my strength, who has considered me trustworthy and appointed me to his service, ¹³although I had been a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a fanatical enemy. However, he took mercy on me because I did not know what I was doing when I opposed the faith; ¹⁴and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, together with faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵This saying is true and worthy of belief: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. ¹⁶Because of that, I was forgiven; Christ Jesus wanted to display his utmost patience so that I might be an example for all who are to believe and obtain eternal life. ¹⁷To the King of ages, the only God who lives beyond every perishable and visible creation—to him, be honor and glory forever. Amen!

¹⁸Timothy, my son, I command you to fight the good fight, fulfilling the prophetic words pronounced over you. ¹⁹Hold onto faith and a good conscience, unlike those who, ignoring conscience, have finally wrecked their faith. ²⁰Among them are Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

2 | • ¹First, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, ²for rulers of states and all in authority, that we may enjoy a quiet and peaceful life in godliness and respect. ³This is good and pleases God. ⁴For he wants all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵As there is one God, there is one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, ⁶who gave his life for the redemption of all. This is the testimony, given in its proper time, ⁷and of this God has made me apostle and herald. I am not lying; I am telling the truth: He made me a teacher of the nations regarding faith and truth.

⁸I want the men in every place to lift pure hands in prayer to heaven, without anger and dissension.

⁹Let women dress with simplicity and modesty, not adorned with fancy hairstyles, gold, jewels, and expensive clothes, ¹⁰but with good works, as is fitting for women serving God. ¹¹Let a woman quietly receive instruction and be submissive. ¹²I allow no woman to teach or to have authority over men. Let them be quiet. ¹³For Adam was created first and then Eve. ¹⁴Adam was not deceived; the woman was deceived and fell into sin. ¹⁵But she will be saved through motherhood, provided that her life be orderly and holy, in faith and love.

Regarding Overseers and Deacons

3 | • ¹If someone aspires to the overseer’s ministry, he is without a doubt looking for a noble task. ²It is necessary that the overseer (or bishop) be beyond reproach, the husband of one wife, responsible, judicious, of good manners, hospitable, and skillful in teaching. ³He must not be addicted to wine or quarrelsome, but gentle and peaceful, and not a lover of money. ⁴He must be a man whose household is well managed and has obedient and well-mannered children. ⁵If he cannot govern his own house, how can he lead the assembly of God?

⁶He must not be a recent convert, lest he becomes conceited and falls into the same condemnation as the devil. ⁷Moreover, he must enjoy a good reputation among the outsiders, lest people speak evil about him and he falls into the devil's snare.

⁸Deacons, likewise, must be dignified, sincere, and moderate in drinking wine, not greedy for money; ⁹they must keep the mystery of faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰Let them be first tested and, if found blameless, be accepted as deacons. ¹¹In the same way, the women must be conscientious, not given to gossip, but reserved and trustworthy.

¹²A deacon must be the husband of one wife and must know how to guide his children and manage his household. ¹³Those who serve well as deacons will win honorable rank and the authority to speak of the Christian faith.

• ¹⁴I give you these instructions, although I hope to see you soon. ¹⁵If I delay, you will know how you ought to conduct yourself in the household of God, the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. ¹⁶How great, indeed, is the mystery of divine blessing!

He was shown in the flesh

and sanctified by the spirit;

presented to the angels

and proclaimed to all nations.

The world believed in him:

He was taken up in glory!

4 | • ¹The Spirit tells us clearly that in the last days, some will defect from the faith and follow deceitful spirits and devilish doctrines, ²led by lying hypocrites whose consciences have been branded with the stamp of infamy.

³These persons forbid marriage and condemn the use of certain foods, which God created for those who know the truth, and which the believers receive with thanksgiving. ⁴Everything created by God is good, and all food is lawful; nothing is to be rejected, if we receive it with thanksgiving, ⁵for it is blessed with the word of God and prayer and made holy.

⁶If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, you will prove to be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the teachings of faith and the sound doctrine you have followed. ⁷Reject irreligious fables and old wives’ tales. Train yourself in godliness. ⁸Physical training is of limited value; godliness, instead, is helpful in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the life to come. ⁹Here, you have a sure doctrine you can trust. ¹⁰We toil and endure because we trust in the living God, the Savior of all, especially those who believe.

Advice to Timothy

•  ¹¹Command and teach these things. ¹²Let no one reproach you on account of your youth. Be a model to the believers in how you speak and act, in your love, your faith and purity of life. ¹³Devote yourself to reading, preaching, and teaching until I come.

¹⁴Do not neglect the spiritual gift conferred on you with prophetic words when the elders laid their hands upon you. ¹⁵Think about it and practice it so that all may see your progress. ¹⁶Take heed of yourself and attend to your teaching. Be steadfast in doing this, and you will save both yourself and your hearers.

The Widows in the Church

5 | • ¹Do not rebuke an older man; on the contrary, advise him as if he were your father. Treat the young as your brothers, ²the elder women as mothers, and the young girls as your sisters, with great purity.

³Take care of widows who are really widows. ⁴If a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn their family duties and give their parents financial help. This is correct and pleases God.

⁵A true widow is one who, on being left alone, has set her hope on God, praying day and night to God and asking him for help. ⁶On the contrary, a widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. ⁷Warn them about this that they may be blameless. ⁸Those who do not take care of their own, especially those of their household, have denied the faith and are worse than unbelievers.

⁹Let no one be put on the list of widows unless she is sixty years old and has been married only once. ¹⁰She must be commended for her good work and her children's education. Has she offered hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, helped the suffering, and practiced other good deeds?

¹¹Do not accept younger widows; they may have other desires than for Christ and want to marry; ¹²then they deserve condemnation for breaking their first commitment. ¹³Besides, they form the habit of being idle, going from house to house. And it is not just idleness! They become gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.

¹⁴So I want young widows to marry and have children, to rule their household and give adversaries no grounds for criticism. ¹⁵Some have already strayed to follow Satan. ¹⁶If any Christian woman has widows in her family, let her assist them; in this way, the church will not be burdened and may assist those who are truly widows.

Regarding the Presbyters

•  ¹⁷Let the elders who preside well receive double compensation, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. ¹⁸Scripture says: Do not muzzle the ox while it threshes grain, and: The worker deserves his wages.

¹⁹Do not accept accusations against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. ²⁰If he continues to sin, rebuke him in the presence of the community as a warning to the rest.

²¹I urge you, in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the holy angels, to obey these rules impartially, without making distinctions. ²²Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, thus becoming an accomplice in the sins of others. Keep yourself free from blame. ²⁴The sins of some people are plain to see, even before they are examined; the sins of others are known only later. ²⁵Likewise, good deeds are also public, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

²³(Do not drink only water; take a little wine to help your digestion because of your frequent illnesses.)

6 | ¹Let those who are slaves always show respect to their masters so that no one may speak ill of God and his teaching. ²Those whose masters are Christians should not show less respect under the pretext that they are members of the church. On the contrary, they must give better service since they are doing good work for believers and dear friends.

Love of Money

Teach and stress these things. ³Whoever teaches in some other way, not following the sound teaching of our Lord Christ Jesus and true religious instruction, ⁴is conceited and understands nothing. This one is into controversies and discussions that result in envy, insults, ⁵blows, and constant arguments between people of depraved minds, far from the truth. For them, religion is merely for financial gain.

⁶Indeed, religion is a treasure if we are content with what we have. ⁷We brought nothing into the world and will leave it with nothing. ⁸Let us then be content with having food and clothing. ⁹Those who strive to be rich fall into temptations and traps. A lot of foolish and harmful ambitions plunge them into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰Indeed, the love of money is the root of every evil. Because of this greed, some have wandered away from the faith, bringing themselves afflictions of every kind.

¹¹But you, man of God, shun all this. Strive to be holy and godly. Live in faith and love, with endurance and gentleness. ¹²Fight the good fight of faith and win everlasting life, to which you were called when you made the good profession of faith in the presence of so many witnesses.

¹³ In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Jesus Christ, who expressed the authentic profession of faith before Pontius Pilate: ¹⁴preserve the message revealed to all. Keep yourself pure and blameless until the glorious coming of Christ Jesus, our Lord, ¹⁵who God will bring about at the proper time; he, the magnificent sovereign, King of kings and Lord of lords. ¹⁶To him, alone immortal, who lives in unapproachable light, and whom no one has ever seen or can see, to him be honor and power, forever and ever. Amen!

¹⁷Command the rich of this world not to be arrogant or to put their trust in the uncertainty of wealth. Let them, instead, trust in God, who generously gives us all we need for our happiness. ¹⁸Let them do good, be rich in good deeds, and be generous; let them share with others. ¹⁹In this way, they shall heap up a sound capital for the future and gain true life.

²⁰Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you; avoid useless and profane words and discussions arising from false knowledge. ²¹Some have lost faith in accepting such knowledge.

The grace of God be with you all.