1Ti 1, 1Ti 4 | ESV | STEP | Paul , an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope ,

1 Paul, ^aan apostle of Christ Jesus ^bby command of ^cGod our Savior and of Christ Jesus ^dour hope,

2 To Timothy, ^emy true child in the faith:

^fGrace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Warning Against False Teachers

3 ^gAs I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not ^hto teach any different doctrine, 4 nor ⁱto devote themselves to myths and endless ^jgenealogies, which promote ^kspeculations rather than the stewardship ^{▼▼Or good order} from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love ^mthat issues from a pure heart and ⁿa good conscience and ^oa sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by ^pswerving from these, have wandered away into ^qvain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, ^rwithout understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

8 Now we know that ^sthe law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the ^tlaw is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, ^{▼▼That is, those who take someone captive in order to sell him into slavery} liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to ^vsound ^{▼▼Or healthy} doctrine, 11 in accordance with ^xthe gospel of the glory of ^ythe blessed God ^zwith which I have been entrusted.

Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners

12 I thank him ^aawho has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, ^abappointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, ^acpersecutor, and insolent opponent. But ^adI received mercy ^aebecause I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and ^afthe grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the ^agfaith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is ^ahtrustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus ^aicame into the world to save sinners, ^ajof whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To ^akthe King of the ages, ^alimmortal, ^aminvisible, ^anthe only God, ^aobe honor and glory forever and ever. ^{▼▼Greek to the ages of ages} Amen.

18 This charge ^aqI entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with ^arthe prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may ^aswage the good warfare, 19 ^atholding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have ^aumade shipwreck of their faith, 20 among whom are ^avHymenaeus and ^awAlexander, whom I ^axhave handed over to Satan that they may learn not to ^ayblaspheme.

1 Timothy 4

Some Will Depart from the Faith

1 Now ^azthe Spirit expressly says that ^bain later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to ^bbdeceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of ^bcliars whose consciences are seared, 3 ^bdwho forbid marriage and ^berequire abstinence from foods ^bfthat God created ^bgto be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For ^bheverything created by God is good, and ^binothing is to be rejected if it is ^bjreceived with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy ^bkby the word of God and prayer.

A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

6 ^blIf you put these things before the brothers, ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God’s family, the church} you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have ^bnfollowed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, ^bosilly myths. Rather ^bptrain yourself for godliness; 8 for while ^bqbodily training is of some value, godliness ^bris of value in every way, as ^bsit holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is ^bttrustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, ^{▼▼Some manuscripts and suffer reproach} because we have our hope set on the living God, ^bvwho is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

11 Command and teach ^bwthese things. 12 ^bxLet no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers ^byan example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 ^bzDo not neglect the gift you have, which was given you ^caby prophecy when the council of elders ^cblaid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, ^{▼▼Greek be in them} so that ^cdall may see your progress. 16 ^ceKeep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save ^cfboth yourself and ^cgyour hearers.