Timothy Charged to Oppose False Teachers

3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia,g stay there in Ephesush so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrinesi any longer 4 or to devote themselves to mythsj and endless genealogies.k Such things promote controversial speculationsl rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. 5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heartm and a good consciencen and a sincere faith.o 6 Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. 7 They want to be teachersp of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.q

8 We know that the law is goodr if one uses it properly. 9 We also know that the law is made not for the righteouss but for lawbreakers and rebels,t the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrineu 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.v