1 Timothy 1

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,

2to Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach different doctrine,

4or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote speculation rather than God’s stewardship, which is by faith.

5The goal of this instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

6Some have wandered away from these and turned aside to meaningless talk.

7They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand either what they are saying or the things they so confidently insist on.

8Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it properly,

9understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the righteous but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,

10for the sexually immoral, men who have sex with men, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching,

11in keeping with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, because he considered me faithful and appointed me to his service,

13even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. But I received mercy because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief,

14and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me, together with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

15This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the worst of them.

16But for this very reason I received mercy, so that in me, the worst, Christ Jesus might display his perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life.

17Now to the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

18Timothy, my child, I entrust this command to you in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by them you may fight the good fight,

19holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected conscience and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.

20Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.