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1 Timothy
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Paul,
an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of
Christ Jesus our hope, {2} To Timothy my true son in the faith:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
{3} As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus
so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any
longer {4} nor to devote themselves to myths and endless
genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work--which
is by faith. {5} The goal of this command is love, which comes
from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. {6}
Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.
{7} They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what
they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. {8} We
know that the law is good if one uses it properly. {9} We also
know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and
rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those
who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, {10} for
adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers--and
for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine {11} that
conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted
to me. {12} I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me
strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.
{13} Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a
violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and
unbelief. {14} The grace of our Lord was poured out on me
abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
{15} Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the
worst. {16} But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in
me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited
patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive
eternal life. {17} Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible,
the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. {18}
Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the
prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight
the good fight, {19} holding on to faith and a good conscience.
Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. {20}
Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to
Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. |
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1 Timothy
2 |
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I
urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for everyone-- {2} for kings and all those
in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness
and holiness. {3} This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
{4} who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the
truth. {5} For there is one God and one mediator between God and
men, the man Christ Jesus, {6} who gave himself as a ransom for
all men--the testimony given in its proper time. {7} And for this
purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle--I am telling the truth,
I am not lying--and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. {8}
I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger
or disputing. {9} I also want women to dress modestly, with
decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or
expensive clothes, {10} but with good deeds, appropriate for
women who profess to worship God. {11} A woman should learn in
quietness and full submission. {12} I do not permit a woman to
teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. {13}
For Adam was formed first, then Eve. {14} And Adam was not the
one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.
{15} But women will be saved through childbearing--if they continue
in faith, love and holiness with propriety. |
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1 Timothy 3 |
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Here
is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer,
he desires a noble task. {2} Now the overseer must be above
reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled,
respectable, hospitable, able to teach, {3} not given to
drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of
money. {4} He must manage his own family well and see that his
children obey him with proper respect. {5} (If anyone does not
know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's
church?) {6} He must not be a recent convert, or he may become
conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. {7} He
must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not
fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap. {8} Deacons,
likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in
much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. {9} They must keep
hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. {10}
They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against
them, let them serve as deacons. {11} In the same way, their
wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but
temperate and trustworthy in everything. {12} A deacon must be
the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his
household well. {13} Those who have served well gain an excellent
standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. {14}
Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions
so that, {15} if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to
conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living
God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. {16} Beyond all
question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was
vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the
nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. |
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1 Timothy 4 |
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The
Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and
follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. {2} Such
teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been
seared as with a hot iron. {3} They forbid people to marry and
order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be
received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
{4} For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be
rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, {5} because it is
consecrated by the word of God and prayer. {6} If you point these
things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus,
brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you
have followed. {7} Have nothing to do with godless myths and old
wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. {8} For
physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all
things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
{9} This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance
{10} (and for this we labour and strive), that we have put our hope
in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those
who believe. {11} Command and teach these things. {12}
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an
example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in
purity. {13} Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading
of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. {14} Do not neglect
your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body
of elders laid their hands on you. {15} Be diligent in these
matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your
progress. {16} Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in
them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. |
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1 Timothy 5 |
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Do not
rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father.
Treat younger men as brothers, {2} older women as mothers, and
younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. {3} Give proper
recognition to those widows who are really in need. {4} But if a
widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to
put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so
repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.
{5} The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope
in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help.
{6} But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she
lives. {7} Give the people these instructions, too, so that no
one may be open to blame. {8} If anyone does not provide for his
relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the
faith and is worse than an unbeliever. {9} No widow may be put on
the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her
husband, {10} and is well known for her good deeds, such as
bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the
saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of
good deeds. {11} As for younger widows, do not put them on such a
list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to
Christ, they want to marry. {12} Thus they bring judgment on
themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. {13}
Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from
house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and
busybodies, saying things they ought not to. {14} So I counsel
younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to
give the enemy no opportunity for slander. {15} Some have in fact
already turned away to follow Satan. {16} If any woman who is a
believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the
church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows
who are really in need. {17} The elders who direct the affairs of
the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work
is preaching and teaching. {18} For the Scripture says, "Do not
muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker
deserves his wages." {19} Do not entertain an accusation against
an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. {20}
Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take
warning. {21} I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus
and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and
to do nothing out of favoritism. {22} Do not be hasty in the
laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep
yourself pure. {23} Stop drinking only water, and use a little
wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. {24}
The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead
of them; the sins of others trail behind them. {25} In the same
way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be
hidden. |
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1 Timothy 6 |
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All who
are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of
full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered.
{2} Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect
for them because they are brothers. Instead, they are to serve them even
better, because those who benefit from their service are believers, and
dear to them. These are the things you are to teach and urge on them.
{3} If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the
sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, {4}
he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy
interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy,
strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions {5} and constant friction
between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who
think that godliness is a means to financial gain. {6} But
godliness with contentment is great gain. {7} For we brought
nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. {8}
But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. {9}
People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into
many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and
destruction. {10} For the love of money is a root of all kinds of
evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and
pierced themselves with many griefs. {11} But you, man of God,
flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love,
endurance and gentleness. {12} Fight the good fight of the faith.
Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made
your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. {13} In
the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who
while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I
charge you {14} to keep this command without spot or blame until
the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, {15} which God will bring
about in his own time--God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of
kings and Lord of lords, {16} who alone is immortal and who lives
in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be
honor and might forever. Amen. {17} Command those who are rich in
this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,
which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides
us with everything for our enjoyment. {18} Command them to do
good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
{19} In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm
foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life
that is truly life. {20} Timothy, guard what has been entrusted
to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of
what is falsely called knowledge, {21} which some have professed
and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you. |
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