1:1 Paulus, an envoy of Anointed Jesus according to the arrangement of God our deliverer and Anointed Jesus our hope.
To Timotheos, my genuine child in trust. Generosity, mercy, and peace from Father God
and Anointed Jesus our Lord.
I urged you to remain in Ephesus when departing for Makedonia, that you may charge
certain persons not to teach differently, nor to occupy themselves with fables and endless
genealogies--which promote worthless speculations rather than that work of God in trust.
5 Now the aim of this charge is love out of a clean heart, and a good conscience, and a trust
without hypocrisy. Some who have missed the mark regarding these were turned to worthless
discussion. They desire to be law-teachers, yet they understand neither what they are saying nor
the things that they are positively asserting.
Now we know that the Law is good, if one should use it lawfully; knowing this, that a
law is not set down for a just person but for:
| (I) | the lawless and disorderly, |
| (II) | for the impious and sinners, |
| (III) | for the irreverent and profane, |
| (IV) | for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, |
| (V) | for assassins, |
| (VI) | for prostitutes, for homosexuals, |
| (VII) | for kidnappers, |
| (VIII) | for liars, for perjurers, |
18 This charge I set before you, Timotheos my child, according to the previous prophecies
about you, so that in them you might fight the good battle, holding trust and a good conscience,
which some have shoved away. Concerning the faith, they were shipwrecked. Of these, are
Humenaeus and Alexandros, whom I delivered up to the Enemy, so that they might be taught not
to speak evil things.
2:1 Therefore, I advise first of all that you make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
thanksgivings on behalf of all people: on behalf of kings, and of all those who are in high
positions, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all piety and seriousness. This is good
and acceptable in the presence of God our deliverer, who wants all people to be delivered, and to
come into recognition of the truth.
For God is one, and there is one mediator between God and human beings: the human
being Anointed Jesus, the one who gave himself to be a ransom for all--the testimony for its own
seasons--for which I was placed as a herald and an envoy (I am telling the truth; I am not lying),
a teacher of nations in trust and in truth.
8 So, I direct the men everywhere to pray, lifting up godly hands without anger or
disputing. In the same way also, when praying, women are to adorn themselves in suitable attire,
with an appropriate attitude and soundness of mind: not with wreaths, or gold, or pearls, or
expensive clothing, but through good deeds, which are becoming for women who are professing
piety toward God.
11 Let a woman learn in quietness in all submission. Now I do not allow a wife to to teach or to dominate her husband, but to be in quietness. For Adam was formed first; then Eva. And Adam was not deceived, but when the woman was totally deceived, she became in transgression. Now she will be delivered through child-bearing, if they continue in trust, and love, and holiness with soundness of mind.
3:1 This statement is reliable: "Whoever longs for oversight is strongly desiring a good
work."
Then it is necessary that the overseer be blameless: a man of one woman, vigilant, sedate,
orderly, friendly to strangers, able to teach; not someone who drinks a lot of wine, not one who
strikes others (but gentle), not quarrelsome, not a money-lover; one who is an outstanding
example for his own household, who has his children in submission with all dignity (Now, how
will someone care for a group of God's people if he is not an outstanding example to his own
household?); not a new convert (so that he will not be puffed up to the point of falling to the
judgment of the accuser).
Now it is necessary that he also have a good testimony from those who are outside, so
that he might not fall into reproach and into a snare of the accuser.
In the same way, Servants should be dignified: not contradicting themselves, not those
who are addicted to a lot of wine, not those who are eager for monetary profit; those who hold
the secret of the faith in a clean conscience. Now, let these ones also be proved first, then let
them serve if they are blameless.
In the same way, the women should be dignified: not accusers; vigilant, trustworthy in all
things.
Servants should be men of one woman, doing well at being outstanding examples to their
families, and to their own households. For those who have served well are acquiring a good
standing for themselves and much freedom of speech in that trust which is in Anointed Jesus.
14 I am writing these things to you hoping to come to you very soon. But if I delay, I am
writing so that you may know how it is necessary to conduct yourself in God's house, which is a
group of people belonging to the living God. The secret of piety is a pillar and basis of truth, and
is acknowledged as great: the one who was displayed in flesh was justified in spirit, was seen by
messengers, was proclaimed among nations, was trusted in creation, and was taken up into glory.
4:1 Now the Spirit declares that in future seasons, some will fall away from the faith,
adhering to spirits of wandering and to teachings of demons in the hypocrisy of lying speakers
whose own consciences have been seared. They will forbid marriage and will abstain from foods
that God created to be partaken with thanksgiving by the faithful--those who have known the
truth:
That every creation of God is good, and nothing should be cast away, but should be
received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy through God's message and through prayer.
If you set forth these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Anointed Jesus,
nourished with the sayings of trust and of the good teaching, which you have followed closely.
Now, avoid the profane things and ridiculous fables. But exercise yourself toward piety.
For bodily exercise is profitable for a short time, but piety is profitable for all time, since it has a
promise of the present life and the life which is about to come.
This statement is reliable, and is worthy of all acceptance (for we are toiling and striving
for this reason): because "we have hoped in the living God, who is a deliverer of all people,
especially of those who trust."
Charge and teach these things. Do not let anyone despise your youth. Instead, become a
pattern in speech, in conduct, in love, in trust, and in purity to those who trust. Until I come,
attend to the reading, to advising, and to teaching. Do not neglect the gift that is in you which
was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands of the elderly. Tend to these
things. Be involved in them, so that your progress may display itself in all things. Watch
yourself and what you teach. Continue doing these things, for when you do this, you will save
both yourself and those who hear you.
5:1 Do not harshly rebuke an elderly man. On the contrary, advise him as a father. Treat
younger men as brothers, elderly women as mothers, and younger women as sisters. Do this in
all purity.
Honor those widows who really are widows. But if any widow has children or
grandchildren, let them be taught first to be dutiful toward their own households and to properly
repay their ancestors, for this is what is acceptable in God's presence.
Now the one who is truly a widow and has been left alone puts her hope on God and
continues in supplications and in prayers night and day. But the one who lives in luxury is dead.
And you are to charge these things, so that they may be blameless.
Now if any one does not provide for his own people, and especially for his household, he
has denied the faith and is worse than one who is faithless.
Do not allow a widow to be put on the list who is less than sixty years old; she should be
a woman of one man, and whose good deeds testify about her: if she raised a family, if she took
in strangers, if she washed the feet of holy ones, if she relieved the pain of the afflicted, if she
closely followed every good deed.
Now, reject younger ones, for when they become uncommitted to the Anointed One, they
want to get married, and they have condemnation because they set aside their first trust. And at
the same time, they learn to be idle, going from house to house. And not only are they idle, but
also they are gossips and busybodies, saying things that are inappropriate.
Therefore, I want the younger ones to marry, to bear children, to rule the household, to
give the opponent no opportunity for reproach, since some have already turned aside to follow
the Enemy.
If any faithful woman has widows in her family, let her support them, and do not burden
the group, so that those who are truly widows may be relieved.
Regard the older people who are outstanding examples as worthy of a double honorarium,
especially those who are working in speaking and teaching. For the writing says, "You will not
muzzle an ox that is treading grain," and, "The worker is worthy of his wage."
Do not accept an accusation against an elderly person unless there are two or three
witnesses. But reprove those who are sinning in the presence of all, so that the rest may also
have fear.
I am fully testifying to you in the presence of God and Anointed Jesus and the chosen
messengers, so that you may keep these things without prejudice, doing nothing according to
partiality.
22 Do not lay hands hastily on anyone, and do not share in others' sins. Stop drinking water,
but use a little wine on account of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
The sins of certain people were previously displayed, and they led to judgment. But in
some people, these things follow. In the same way also, the good deeds were previously
displayed, and the deeds that are otherwise cannot be hidden.
6:1 As many as are slaves under a yoke, they should regard their own masters as worthy of
honor, so that God's name and teaching will not be spoken bad of. Now the ones who have
trusting masters should not despise them, because they are brothers. On the contrary, they should
be good slaves instead, because they are trusting and beloved ones who grant good deeds. Teach
and advise these things.
If anyone teaches differently and does not approach the healthy sayings of our Lord
Anointed Jesus, and the teaching according to piety, he has been puffed up and understands
nothing. Instead, he has a sick desire about confrontation and bickering, out of which come
envy, strife, evil speaking, evil suspicions, and constant disputes between people whose minds
have been corrupted and have been deprived of the truth, while they assume that financial profit
is piety.
Now piety with self-sufficiency is a great profit. For we have brought nothing into
creation; neither can we carry anything out. But if we have food and clothing, we will be
satisfied. But the ones who resolve to be wealthy are falling into temptation, and a snare, and
many foolish and harmful strong desires, which cause people to sink into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is is the root of all kinds of bad things. Certain people who are coveting
money have wandered away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many sorrows.
11 Now you, God's person, flee these things, and pursue what is right, and piety, trust, love,
endurance, and meekness. Fight the good fight of the faith, as you lay hold of eternal life, into
which you were called and for which you made the good acknowledgement before many
witnesses. I charge you before God who makes alive all things and Anointed Jesus who testified
the good acknowledgement in front of Pontius Pilatus, to keep the precept unspotted and without
reproach until the appearing of our lord Anointed Jesus, which will be shown to us in its own
time by the blessed and only power, the highest king and highest lord, the only one who has
immortality, who lives in unapproachable light, whom no human being has seen or can see. To
him be honor and eternal might. A-mein.
17 Charge those who are wealthy in the present age not to have superior attitudes, nor to set
their hopes on the uncertainty of wealth but on a god who is richly offering us all things for our
enjoyment. Charge them to do good, to be wealthy in good deeds, to be ready to give and
willing to share. Then they will be treasuring away for themselves a good foundation for the
future, so that they may hold on to what life really is. Oh Timotheos, guard what has been
deposited with you. Turn aside from the profane and empty babble and from what teachings are
contrary, falsely called knowledge, which some are professing; and they have missed the mark
regarding the faith.
May generosity be with you all.