1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and Christ Jesus our hope;
2 to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 As I exhorted you to tarry at Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that you might charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine,
4 neither to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause questionings, rather than a dispensation of God which is in faith; [so do I now].
5 But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned:
6 from which things some having swerved have turned aside to vain talking;
7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor what they confidently affirm.
8 But we know that the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully,
9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 for fornicators, for homosexuals, for menstealers, for liars, for false swearers, and if there be any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;
11 according to the good news of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
12 I thank him who enabled me, [even] Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to [his] service;
13 though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: nevertheless I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief;
14 and the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15 Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:
16 nevertheless for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might Jesus Christ show forth all his long-suffering, for an example of those who should thereafter believe on him to eternal life.
17 Now to the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, [be] honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which led the way to you, that by them you may war the good warfare;
19 holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust from them made shipwreck concerning the faith:
20 of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.