1 Timothy 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the order of God the one who rescues us, and of Christ Jesus our hope, [a] 2 to Timothy, a genuine child in faith: favor, mercy, peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. [c]

3 Just as I urged you to remain on in Ephesus while I was going into Macedonia, so that you might charge certain people not to teach a different teaching, [d] 4 nor to hold to myths and endless genealogies, which furnish speculations rather than the household management of God that is in faith — [e] † 5 and the end of the charge is love out of a clean heart and a good conscience and faith without hypocrisy, [f] 6 which some have missed, and have turned aside to empty talk, [g] 7 wanting to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they are saying nor the things about which they make firm assertions. [h]

8 Now we know that the law is good, if someone uses it lawfully, 9 knowing this: that law is not laid down for a righteous person, but for the lawless and the unruly, for the irreverent and sinners, for the unholy and the common, for those who kill their fathers and those who kill their mothers, for murderers, [i] 10 for the sexually immoral, for men who lie with males, for slave dealers, for liars, for those who swear falsely — and for whatever else is set against the healthy teaching, [j] 11 according to the good news of the glory of the blessed God, with which I myself was entrusted. [l]

12 I am thankful to the one who empowered me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, putting me into service — [m] 13 me, who was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent man. But I was shown mercy, because I acted in ignorance, in a lack of faith, [n] 14 and the favor of our Lord overflowed beyond measure, with faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Faithful is the word, and worthy of all acceptance: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am first. [o] 16 But for this reason I was shown mercy: so that in me first Christ Jesus might display the whole of his patience, as an outline for those who are going to trust in him for everlasting life. [p] 17 Now to the King of the ages, imperishable, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory into the ages of the ages. Amen. [q]

18 This charge I place in your hands, child Timothy, in keeping with the prophecies that led the way to you, so that by them you may wage the good campaign, [r] 19 holding faith and a good conscience — which some have pushed away and have been shipwrecked concerning the faith. [s] 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan so that they may be trained not to blaspheme. [t]