Greetings

1From:a Paul, an apostle of the Messiahb Jesus, by the command of God our Savior and the Messiahc Jesus, our hope.

2To: Timothy, my genuine child in the faith.

May grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Messiahd Jesus, our Lord, be yours!

A Warning against False Teachers

3When I was on my way to Macedonia, I urged you to stay in Ephesus so that you could instruct certain people to stop teaching false doctrine 4and occupying themselves with myths and endless genealogies. These things promote controversies rather than God’s ongoing purpose, which involves faith. 5The goal of this instruction is love that flows from a pure heart, from a clear conscience, and from a sincere faith. 6Some people have left these qualities behind and have turned to fruitless discussion. 7They want to be teachers of the Law, yet they do not understand either what they are talking about or the things about which they speak so confidently.

8Of course, we know that the Law is good if a person uses it legitimately, 9that is, if he understands that the Law is not intended for righteouse people but for lawbreakers and rebels, for ungodly people and sinners, for those who are unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers, their mothers, or other people, 10for those involved in sexual immorality, for homosexuals, for kidnappers,f for liars, for false witnesses, and for whatever else goes against the healthy teaching 11that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

12I thank the Messiahg Jesus, our Lord, who gives me strength, that he has considered me faithful and has appointed me to his service. 13In the past I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violenth man. But I received mercy because I acted ignorantly in my unbelief, 14and the grace of our Lord overflowed toward me,i along with the faith and love that are in the Messiahj Jesus. 15This is a trustworthy saying that deserves complete acceptance:k

To this world Messiahl came,

sinful people to reclaim.m

I am the worst of them. 16But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the worst sinner,n the Messiaho Jesus might demonstrate all of his patience as an example for those who would believe in him for eternal life. 17Now to the King Eternal—the immortal, invisible, and only God—be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.

Guidelines for Behavior in the Church

18Timothy, my child, I am instructing you in keeping with the prophecies made earlier about you, so that by following them you may continue to fight the good fight 19with faith and a good conscience. By ignoring their consciences,p some people have destroyed their faith like a wrecked ship. 20These include Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme.