1 Timothy 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 when I was leaving for Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus so that you can command certain people not to teach a different doctrine,

⁴ or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote speculation rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.

⁵ The goal of this command is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

⁶ Some have wandered away from these and turned aside to meaningless talk,

⁷ wanting to be teachers of the law, though they do not understand either what they are saying or the things they so confidently assert.

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

⁹ understanding this: that the law is not laid down for a righteous person but for the lawless and rebellious, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreverent, those who kill their fathers or mothers, murderers,

¹⁰ the sexually immoral, men who have sex with men, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching,

¹¹ in keeping with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, with which I was entrusted.

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service—

¹³ even though I was once a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. But I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief,

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

¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost.

¹⁶ But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the foremost, Christ Jesus might display his perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life.

¹⁷ Now to the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸ Timothy, my child, I am entrusting you with this command, in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by them you may fight the good fight,

¹⁹ holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have shipwrecked their faith.

²⁰ Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.