Paul's Previous Charge to Timothy
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,
2 to Timothy, my true son in the faith. May grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord [be yours].
3 As I encouraged you to remain in Ephesus, when I was going to Macedonia, so that you would tell certain [individuals] not to teach any other doctrine,
4 or pay attention to fables and endless genealogies, which leads to controversy rather than godly growth in faith.
5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
6 Some having swerved from this have turned aside to meaningless discussions.
7 Desiring to be teachers of the law they don't even understand what they are talking about or what they strongly assert.
8 But we know that the law is good, if one uses it as it should be used.
9 We understand that the law was not laid down for a righteous man but for the lawless, for disobedient, for ungodly, for sinners, for the unholy, for those with no reverence for what is sacred, for murderers of fathers, for murderers of mothers, for killers,
10 for people who are sexually immoral, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to sound teaching,
11 [which is] according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me.
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, in that he considered me faithful, appointing me to [his] service.
13 Previously I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and overbearing person, but obtained mercy because I did [these things] ignorantly in unbelief.
14 But the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant along with faith and love that is in Christ Jesus.
15 This is trustworthy saying and worthy of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief.
16 Yet for this reason I obtained mercy, so that in me, the foremost [of sinners], Jesus Christ could show all long suffering, for an example to those who later on would believe in him for everlasting life.
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
First Charge: War a Good Warfare
18 I commit this command to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, so that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some having shoved aside have shipwrecked the faith.
20 Hymenus and Alexander are among these, whom I have delivered to Satan, so they may learn not to blaspheme.