| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1From Paul, 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 genuine child 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 was leaving for Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus to instruct certain people not to spread false teachings, | 3When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. |
| 4nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. Such things promote useless speculations rather than God's redemptive plan that 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. |
| 5But the aim 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 strayed from these and turned away to empty 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, but they do not understand what they are saying or the things they insist on so confidently. | 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 if someone uses it legitimately, | 8We know that the law is good when used correctly. |
| 9realizing that law is not intended for a righteous person, but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or 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. |
| 10sexually immoral people, practicing homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers--in fact, for any who live contrary to 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 |
| 11This accords with the glorious gospel of the blessed God that 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 am grateful to the one who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me faithful in putting me into 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 and a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly 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 our Lord's grace was abundant, bringing faith and love 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 deserves 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 here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to 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 eternal king, 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 |
| 18I put this charge before you, Timothy my child, in keeping with the prophecies once spoken about you, in order that with such encouragement 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. |
| 19To do this you must hold firmly to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck in regard to the 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 these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan to 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. |
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