GREETING

1 Paul,a an apostle of Christ Jesus by the commandb of God our Saviorc and of Christ Jesus our hope:d

2 To Timothy,e my true son in the faith.

Grace, mercy, and peace from God theA Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

FALSE DOCTRINE AND MISUSE OF THE LAW

3 As I urged you when I went to Macedonia,f remain in Ephesusg so that you may instruct certain peopleh not to teach false doctrine 4 or to pay attention to mythsi and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan,j which operates by faith. 5 Now the goal of our instruction is lovek that comes from a pure heart,l a good conscience,m and a sincere faith.n 6 Some have departed from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on. 8 But we know that the law is good,o provided one uses it legitimately. 9 We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious,p for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoralq and males who have sex with males,r for slave traders, liars,s perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teachingt 11 that conforms to the gospelu concerning the glory of the blessed God,v which was entrusted to me.w

PAUL’S TESTIMONY

12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthenedx me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry—13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer,y a persecutor,z and an arrogant man.aa But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.