| Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope: | 1This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope. |
| 2To Timothy, my true son in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. | 2I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. Warnings against False Teachings |
| 3As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach false doctrine | 3When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. |
| 4or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God's plan, which operates by faith. | 4Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God. |
| 5Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. | 5The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. |
| 6Some have departed from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion. | 6But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. |
| 7They want to be teachers of the law, although they don't understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on. | 7They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently. |
| 8But we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately. | 8We know that the law is good when used correctly. |
| 9We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, | 9For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. |
| 10for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for slave traders, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching | 10The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching |
| 11that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me. | 11that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God. Paul’s Gratitude for God’s Mercy |
| 12I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry-- | 12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, |
| 13even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, | 13even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. |
| 14and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. | 14Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. |
| 15This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"--and I am the worst of them. | 15This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. |
| 16But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life. | 16But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. |
| 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. | 17All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. Timothy’s Responsibility |
| 18Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the good fight, | 18Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. |
| 19having faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and have shipwrecked their faith. | 19Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. |
| 20Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme. | 20Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God. |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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