1 Timothy 1–3

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Saviour, and Christ Jesus our hope; ²unto Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³As I exhorted thee to tarry at Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine, ⁴neither to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questionings, rather than a dispensation of God which is in faith; so do I now. ⁵But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned: ⁶from which things some having swerved have turned aside unto vain talking; ⁷desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they confidently affirm. ⁸But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully, ⁹as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, ¹⁰for fornicators, for abusers of themselves with men, for menstealers, for liars, for false swearers, and if there be any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine; ¹¹according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

¹²I thank him that enabled me, even Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to his service; ¹³though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief; ¹⁴and the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief: ¹⁶howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might Jesus Christ show forth all his longsuffering, for an ensample of them that should thereafter believe on him unto eternal life. ¹⁷Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸This charge I commit unto thee, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which led the way to thee, that by them thou mayest war the good warfare; ¹⁹holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust from them made shipwreck concerning the faith: ²⁰of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered unto Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

2I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men; ²for kings and all that are in high place; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. ³This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; ⁴who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony to be borne in its own times; ⁷whereunto I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I speak the truth, I lie not), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing. ⁹In like manner, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefastness and sobriety; not with braided hair, and gold or pearls or costly raiment; ¹⁰but (which becometh women professing godliness) through good works. ¹¹Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection. ¹²But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness. ¹³For Adam was first formed, then Eve; ¹⁴and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being beguiled hath fallen into transgression: ¹⁵but she shall be saved through her child-bearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety.

3Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. ²The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach; ³no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money; ⁴one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; ⁵(but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) ⁶not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷Moreover he must have good testimony from them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. ⁸Deacons in like manner must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; ⁹holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. ¹⁰And let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, if they be blameless. ¹¹Women in like manner must be grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. ¹²Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. ¹³For they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly; ¹⁵but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. ¹⁶And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.