1Ti 1 | ISV | STEP | The Letter of Paul Called First Timothy Greetings from Paul From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope,

1 Timothy 1

encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.1Cor 1:8; 1Thes 3:13; 1Pet 5:10

1 The Letter of Paul Called First TimothyGreetings from PaulFrom ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks From} Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope,Acts 9:15; Gal 1:1, 11; Col 1:27; 1Tim 2:3; 4:10; Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4; Jude 1:25 2 to Timothy, my genuine child in the faith. May grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord be yours!Acts 16:1; 1Cor 4:17; Gal 1:3; Phil 2:19; 1Thes 3:2; 2Tim 1:2; Titus 1:4; 1Pet 1:2

3 A Warning Against False TeachersWhen 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 doctrineActs 20:1, 3; Gal 1:6-7; Phil 2:24; Acts 20:1, 3, 1Tim 6:3, 10 4 and occupying themselves with myths and endless genealogies. These things promote controversies rather than God's ongoing purpose, which involves faith.1Tim 4:7; 2Tim 2:14, 16, 23; Titus 1:14; 3:9 5 The goal of this instruction is love that flows from a pure heart, from a clear conscience, and from a sincere faith.Rom 13:8, 10; Gal 5:14; 2Tim 2:22 6 Some people have left these qualities behind and have turned to fruitless discussion.1Tim 6:4, 20 7 They 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.1Tim 6:4

8 Of course, we know that the law is good if a person uses it legitimately,Rom 7:12 9 that is, if he understands that the law is not intended for righteous ^{▼▼Or innocent} 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,Gal 3:19; 5:23 10 for those involved in sexual immorality, for homosexuals, for kidnappers, ^{▼▼Or slave traders} for liars, for false witnesses, and for whatever else goes against the healthy teaching1Tim 6:3; 2Tim 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1 11 that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.1Cor 9:17; Gal 2:7; Col 1:25; 1Thes 2:4; 1Tim 2:7; 6:15; 2Tim 1:11; Titus 1:3

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who gives me strength, that he has considered me faithful and has appointed me to his service.1Cor 7:25; 2Cor 3:5-6; 4:1; 12:9; Col 1:25 13 In the past I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent ^{▼▼Or an arrogant} man. But I received mercy because I acted ignorantly in my unbelief,Luke 23:34; John 9:39, 41; Acts 3:17; 8:3; 9:1; 26:9; 1Cor 15:9; Phil 3:6 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed toward me, ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks toward me} along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.Luke 7:47; Rom 5:20; 1Cor 15:10; 2Tim 1:13 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserves complete acceptance: ^{▼▼This formula accompanied early Christian sayings on which full reliance could be placed.}Matt 9:13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32; 19:10; Rom 5:8; 1Tim 3:1; 4:9; 2Tim 2:11; Titus 3:8; 1John 3:5

To this world Christ Jesus came,

Sinful people to reclaim. ^{▼▼Or save}

I am the worst of them. 16 But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the worst sinner, ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks sinner} Christ Jesus might demonstrate all of his patience as an example for those who would believe in him for eternal life.Acts 13:39; 2Cor 4:1 17 Now to the King Eternal—the immortal, invisible, and only God—be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.1Chr 29:11; Ps 10:16; 145:13; Dan 7:14; John 1:18; Rom 1:23; 16:27; 1Tim 6:15-16; Heb 11:27; 1John 4:12; Jude 1:25

18 Guidelines for Behavior in the ChurchTimothy, my child, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies made earlier about you, so that by following them you may continue to fight the good fight1Tim 4:14; 2Tim 2:2-3; 4:7 19 with faith and a good conscience. By ignoring their consciences, ^{▼▼Lit. By ignoring it} some people have destroyed their faith like a wrecked ship.1Tim 3:9; 6:9 20 These include Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme.Acts 13:45; 1Cor 5:5; 2Tim 2:14, 17