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

Instructions for Timothy in Ephesus

³Just as I urged you when I^* traveled to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus, so that you may instruct certain people not to teach other doctrine, ⁴and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause useless speculations rather than God’s plan that is by faith. ⁵But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a faith without hypocrisy, ⁶from which some have deviated, and have turned away into fruitless discussion, ⁷wanting to be teachers of the law, although they^* do not understand either the things which they are saying or the things concerning which they are speaking confidently.

⁸But we know that the law is good, if anyone makes use of it lawfully, ⁹knowing this, that the law is not given for a righteous person but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and totally worldly, for the one who kills his father and the one who kills his mother, for murderers, ¹⁰sexually immoral people, homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and whatever^a else is opposed to sound teaching, ¹¹according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God that I was entrusted with.

Paul’s Thankfulness for the Mercy Shown to Him

¹²I give thanks^b to the one who strengthens me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me faithful, placing me into ministry,^c ¹³although I^* was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, but I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief, ¹⁴and the grace of our Lord abounded with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵The saying is trustworthy and worthy of all acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. ¹⁶But because of this I was shown mercy, in order that in me foremost, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his total patience, for an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life. ¹⁷Now to the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, to the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever^d. Amen.

Paul’s Charge to Timothy

¹⁸I am setting before you this instruction, Timothy my child, in accordance with the prophecies spoken long ago about you, in order that by them you may fight the good fight, ¹⁹having faith and a good conscience, which some, because they^* have rejected these, have suffered shipwreck concerning their faith, ²⁰among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, in order that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

Instructions to Pray for All People

2Therefore, I urge first of all that petitions, prayers, requests, and thanksgiving be made on behalf of all people, ²on behalf of kings and all those who are in authority, in order that we may live a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. ³This is good and acceptable before God our Savior, ⁴who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God and one mediator between God and human beings, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave himself a ransom for all, the testimony at the proper time, ⁷for which I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am speaking the truth, I am not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. ⁸Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and dispute.

Instructions for Women

⁹Likewise also the women should adorn themselves in appropriate clothing, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold jewelry or pearls or expensive clothing, ¹⁰but with good deeds which are fitting for women who profess godliness. ¹¹A woman must learn in quietness with all submission. ¹²But I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet^a. ¹³For Adam was formed first, then Eve, ¹⁴and Adam was not deceived, but the woman, because she^* was deceived, came into transgression. ¹⁵But she will be saved through the bearing of children, if she continues in faith and love and holiness with self-control.

Qualifications for Overseers

3The saying is trustworthy: if anyone aspires to supervision, he desires a good work. ²Therefore the overseer must be irreproachable, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching, ³not addicted to wine, not a violent person, but gentle, peaceable, not loving money, ⁴managing his own household well, having children in submission with all dignity ⁵(but if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), ⁶not newly converted, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷But he must also have a good testimony from those outside, in order that he may not fall into disgrace and the trap of the devil.

Qualifications for Deacons

⁸Deacons likewise must be dignified, not insincere, not devoted to much wine, not fond of dishonest gain, ⁹holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience, ¹⁰and these also must be tested first; then let them serve if they^* are above reproach. ¹¹The wives^a likewise must be dignified, not slanderous, temperate, faithful in all things. ¹²Deacons must be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. ¹³For those who have served well acquire a good standing for themselves, and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Godliness Described

¹⁴I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you in a short time. ¹⁵But if I am delayed, I am writing^* in order that you may know how one must conduct oneself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and mainstay^b of the truth. ¹⁶And most certainly, great is the mystery of godliness:

Who was revealed in the flesh,

was vindicated by^c the Spirit,

was seen by angels,

was proclaimed among the Gentiles^d,

was believed on in the world,

was taken up in glory.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“traveled”) which is understood as temporal
*Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“understand”) which is understood as concessive
aLiterally “if anything”
bLiterally “I have thankfulness”
cOr “service”
*Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was”) which is understood as concessive
dLiterally “to the ages of the ages”
*Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have rejected”) which is understood as causal
aLiterally “to be in quietness”
*Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was deceived”) which is understood as causal
*Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are”) which is understood as conditional
aOr “The women”
*The words “I am writing” are not in the Greek text, but are an understood repetition from the previous clause
bOr “basis”; or “support”
cOr perhaps “in”
dOr “nations”; the same Greek word can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles” depending on the context