1 Timothy

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 true child in the faith: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 As I urged you to remain in Ephesus when I was going to Macedonia, so that you might charge certain persons not to teach different doctrine

4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship of God that is in faith.

5 But the goal of this charge is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith,

6 from which some, having missed the mark, have turned aside to vain talking,

7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things about which they make confident assertions.

8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully,

9 knowing this, that the law is not laid down for the righteous but for the lawless and rebellious, the ungodly and sinners, the unholy and profane, those who strike their fathers and mothers, murderers,

10 the sexually immoral, men who lie with men, slave-traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is opposed to sound teaching,

11 according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,

13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I received mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief;

14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

15 The saying is trustworthy and worthy of all acceptance: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

16 But for this reason I received mercy, that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display his complete patience as an example for those who were 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 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,

19 holding faith and a good conscience, which some, having rejected, have made shipwreck of their faith,

20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

Chapter 2

1 I urge, then, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all people,

2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus,

6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

7 For this 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, then, that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands without anger or dispute.

9 Likewise also that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly clothing,

10 but, as befits women who profess godliness, with good works.

11 Let a woman learn in quietness, in all submission;

12 but I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise 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 deceived, fell into transgression;

15 yet she will be saved through childbearing, if they remain in faith and love and holiness with self-control.

Chapter 3

1 This saying is trustworthy: if anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble work.

2 Therefore the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

3 not given to wine, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money,

4 managing his own household well, having children in submission, with all dignity,

6 not a new convert, lest, being puffed up, he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 And he must also have a good testimony from those outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for shameful gain,

9 holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

10 And let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are blameless.

11 The women likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

12 Let deacons be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.

13 For those who have served well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

14 I write these things to you hoping to come to you soon;

15 but if I delay, so that you may know how one ought to conduct oneself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

16 And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness: he who was manifested in the flesh, was vindicated in the spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

Chapter 4

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

2 through the hypocrisy of liars whose own consciences have been seared,

3 forbidding marriage and demanding abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving;

5 for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

6 If you set these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the good teaching which you have followed.

7 But refuse profane and old-womanish myths. Train yourself for godliness;

8 for bodily training is of some little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

9 The saying is trustworthy 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 believers.

11 Command and teach these things.

12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

13 Until I come, attend to the reading, to exhortation, to teaching.

14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the elders.

15 Practice these things, be devoted to them, so that your progress may be evident to all.

16 Take heed to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

Chapter 5

1 Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,

2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

3 Honor widows who are truly widows.

4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety toward their own household and to make repayment to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.

5 Now she who is truly a widow and left alone has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day,

6 but she who lives in self-indulgence is dead even while she lives.

7 Command these things as well, so that they may be above 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 if she is not less than sixty years old, the wife of one husband,

10 well attested for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has helped the afflicted, if she has devoted herself to every good work.

11 But refuse younger widows; for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they wish to marry,

12 incurring condemnation because they have set aside their first pledge;

13 and at the same time they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house, and not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not.

14 So I wish younger widows to marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for reviling;

15 for some have already turned aside after Satan.

16 If any believing woman has widows, let her help them, and let the church not be burdened, so that it may help those who are truly widows.

17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

18 For the scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it is threshing," and, "The laborer is worthy of his wages."

19 Do not admit an accusation against an elder, except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.

20 Rebuke those who sin in the presence of all, so that the rest also may have fear.

21 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, that you keep these things without prejudgment, doing nothing out of partiality.

22 Do not lay hands hastily on anyone, nor share in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

23 No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent infirmities.

24 The sins of some men are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others follow after them;

25 likewise also good works are conspicuous, and those that are otherwise cannot remain hidden.

Chapter 6

1 Let all who are under the yoke as slaves regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed.

2 And those who have believing masters must not despise them because they are brothers; rather let them serve all the more, because those who benefit from their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching that accords with godliness,

4 he is puffed up with conceit, understanding nothing, but has an unhealthy craving for controversies and disputes about words, from which arise envy, strife, slanders, evil suspicions,

5 and constant friction among people who are corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, supposing that godliness is a means of gain.

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain;

7 for we brought nothing into the world, and neither can we take anything out of it;

8 but having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction.

10 For the love of money is a root of all evils, and some, by craving it, have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

11 But you, O man of God, flee these things; 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 about which you made the good confession before many witnesses.

13 I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,

14 to keep the commandment unstained and above reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 which he will display at the proper time, he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

17 Charge the rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy;

18 to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,

19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you, avoiding the profane empty chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge,

21 which some, by professing it, have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.