[0] comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. [1]
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by 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
when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge
certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, [4] nor to occupy
themselves with myths and endless genealogies which promote speculations
rather than the divine training that is in faith; [5] whereas the aim of
our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and
sincere faith. [6] Certain persons by swerving from these have wandered
away into vain discussion, [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 any one uses it
lawfully, [9] understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the
just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for
the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers,
for manslayers, [10] immoral persons, sodomites, kidnapers, liars,
perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, [11] in
accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have
been entrusted. [12] I thank him who has given me strength for this, Christ
Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful by appointing me to his
service, [13] though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and insulted him;
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. And I am the foremost of
sinners; [16] but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the
foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to
those who were to believe in him for eternal life. [17] To the King of
ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and
ever. Amen. [18] This charge I commit to you, Timothy, my son, in
accordance with the prophetic utterances which pointed to you, that
inspired by them you may wage the good warfare, [19] holding faith and a
good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made
shipwreck of their faith, [20] among them Hymenae'us and Alexander, whom I
have delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
