1 Timothy 1

Greeting

1Paul, ^aan apostle of Christ Jesus by the command ^bof God our Savior ^cand of Christ Jesus our hope: ^d

²To Timothy, ^emy true son in the faith.

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the ^fFather and Christ Jesus our Lord.

False Doctrine and Misuse of the Law

³As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, ^gremain in Ephesus ^hso that you may instruct certain people ⁱnot to teach different doctrine ⁴or to pay attention to myths ^jand endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, ^kwhich operates by faith. ⁵Now the goal of our instruction is love ^lthat comes from a pure heart, ^ma good conscience, ⁿand a sincere faith. ^o6Some have deviated from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion. ⁷They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on. ⁸But we know that the law is good, ^pprovided one uses it legitimately. ⁹We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, ^qfor the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰for the sexually immoral ^rand homosexuals, ^sfor kidnappers, ^tliars, ^uperjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching ^v11based on the glorious gospel ^wof the blessed God, ^xwhich was entrusted to me. ^y

Paul’s Testimony

¹²I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened ^zme, because He considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry— ¹³one who was formerly a blasphemer, ^aa persecutor, ^band an arrogant man. ^cBut I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief. ¹⁴And the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵This saying is trustworthy ^dand deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world ^eto save sinners” ^f—and I am the worst of them. ^g16But I received mercy ^hfor this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate His extraordinary patience ⁱas an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. ^j17Now to the King ^keternal, ^limmortal, ^minvisible, the only ⁿGod, ^obe honor ^pand glory ^qforever and ever. Amen. ^r

Engage in Battle

¹⁸Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies ^spreviously made about you, so that by them you may strongly engage in battle, ¹⁹having faith ^tand a good conscience. ^uSome ^vhave rejected these and have suffered the shipwreck of their faith. ²⁰Hymenaeus ^wand Alexander ^xare among them, and I have delivered them to Satan, ^yso that they may be taught not to blaspheme.