Greeting
1 Timothy 1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Law, Love, and False Teachers
As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach a different doctrine, and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than God’s economy, which is in faith. But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. Some people have departed from these things and turned to vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they are saying nor what they so strongly affirm.
But we know that the law is excellent if a person uses it lawfully, realizing that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for the sexually immoral, for practicing homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
Grace Given to Paul
I thank the one who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to deacon-work, even though I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I was shown mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first of the worst. However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were once made concerning you, that by them you may fight the the excellent battle, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected made a shipwreck concerning the faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they might be taught not to blaspheme.