1 Timothy 1-3

New King James Version

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,

² To Timothy, a ^(A)true son in the faith:

^(B)Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

No Other Doctrine

³ As I urged you ^(C)when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may ^[a]charge some ^(D)that they teach no other doctrine, ^4 (E)nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. ⁵ Now ^(F)the purpose of the commandment is love ^(G)from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from ^[b]sincere faith, ⁶ from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to ^(H)idle talk, ⁷ desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.

⁸ But we know that the law is ^(I)good if one uses it lawfully, ⁹ knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, ¹⁰ for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is ^[c]contrary to sound doctrine, ¹¹ according to the glorious gospel of the ^(J)blessed God which was ^(K)committed to my trust.

Glory to God for His Grace^(L)

¹² And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has ^(M)enabled me, ^(N)because He counted me faithful, ^(O)putting me into the ministry, ¹³ although ^(P)I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an ^[d]insolent man; but I obtained mercy because ^(Q)I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ^14 (R)And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, ^(S)with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. ^15 (T)This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that ^(U)Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. ¹⁶ However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. ¹⁷ Now to ^(V)the King eternal, ^(W)immortal, ^(X)invisible, to ^[e]God ^(Y)who alone is wise, ^(Z)be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Fight the Good Fight

¹⁸ This ^[f]charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, ¹⁹ having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, ²⁰ of whom are ^(AA)Hymenaeus and ^(AB)Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to ^(AC)blaspheme.

Pray for All Men

2 Therefore I ^[g]exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, ^2 (AD)for kings and ^(AE)all who are in ^[h]authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and ^[i]reverence. ³ For this is ^(AF)good and acceptable in the sight ^(AG)of God our Savior, ^4 (AH)who desires all men to be saved ^(AI)and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ^5 (AJ)For there is one God and ^(AK)one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ^6 (AL)who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, ^7 (AM)for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth ^[j]in Christ and not lying—^(AN)a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Men and Women in the Church

⁸ I desire therefore that the men pray ^(AO)everywhere, ^(AP)lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; ⁹ in like manner also, that the ^(AQ)women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and ^[k]moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, ^10 (AR)but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. ¹¹ Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. ¹² And ^(AS)I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. ¹³ For Adam was formed first, then Eve. ¹⁴ And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. ¹⁵ Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

Qualifications of Overseers

3 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a ^[l]bishop, he desires a good work. ² A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; ³ not ^[m]given to wine, not violent, ^[n]not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not ^[o]covetous; ⁴ one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence ⁵ (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); ⁶ not a ^[p]novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. ⁷ Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the ^(AT)snare of the devil.

Qualifications of Deacons

⁸ Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, ^(AU)not given to much wine, not greedy for money, ⁹ holding the ^[q]mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. ¹⁰ But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. ¹¹ Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not ^[r]slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. ¹² Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. ¹³ For those who have served well as deacons ^(AV)obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

The Great Mystery

¹⁴ These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; ¹⁵ but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ^[s]ground of the truth. ¹⁶ And without controversy great is the ^[t]mystery of godliness: