Paul's Previous Charge to Timothy
1 Paul, ⓙ an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command ⓚ of God our Savior ⓛ and of Christ Jesus our hope: ⓜ
2 To Timothy, ⓝ my true son in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the [1] Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, ⓐ remain in Ephesus ⓑ so that you may instruct certain people ⓒ not to teach false doctrine
4 or to pay attention to myths ⓓ and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, ⓔ which operates by faith.
5 Now the goal of our instruction is love ⓕ that comes from a pure heart, ⓖ a good conscience, ⓗ and a sincere faith. ⓘ
6 Some have departed from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion.
7 They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on.
8 But we know that the law is good, ⓙ provided one uses it legitimately.
9 We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, ⓚ for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers,
10 for the sexually immoral ⓛ and homosexuals, ⓜ for slave traders, liars, ⓝ perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching ⓐ
11 that conforms to the gospel ⓑ concerning the glory of the blessed God, ⓒ which was entrusted to me. ⓓ
12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened ⓔ me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry —
13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, ⓕ a persecutor, ⓖ and an arrogant man. ⓗ But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief,
14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 This saying is trustworthy ⓘ and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world ⓙ to save sinners” ⓚ — and I am the worst of them. ⓛ
16 But I received mercy ⓜ for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience ⓝ as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life. ⓐ
17 Now to the King ⓑ eternal, ⓒ immortal, ⓓ invisible, the only [2] God, ⓔ be honor ⓕ and glory ⓖ forever and ever. Amen. ⓗ
First Charge: War a Good Warfare
18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies ⓘ previously made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the good fight,
19 having faith ⓙ and a good conscience. ⓚ Some ⓛ have rejected these and have shipwrecked their faith.
20 Among them are Hymenaeus ⓜ and Alexander, ⓝ whom I have delivered to Satan, ⓐ so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.