Study Desk

Paul, ^(a)an apostle of ^(b)Christ Jesus ^(c)according to the commandment of ^(d)God our Savior, and of ^(e)Christ Jesus, who is our ^(f)hope,

To ^(g)Timothy, ^(h)my true child in the faith: ⁽ⁱ⁾Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and ^(j)Christ Jesus our Lord.

As I urged you ^[a]upon my departure for ^(k)Macedonia, ^[b]remain on at ^(l)Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to ^(m)teach strange doctrines,

nor to ^[c]pay attention to ⁽ⁿ⁾myths and endless ^(o)genealogies, which give rise to mere ^(p)speculation rather than ^(q)furthering ^[d]the administration of God which is by faith.

But the goal of our ^[e](r)instruction is love ^(s)from a pure heart and a ^(t)good conscience and a sincere ^(u)faith.

For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to ^(v)fruitless discussion,

^(w)wanting to be ^(x)teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.

But we know that ^(y)the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully,

realizing the fact that ^(z)law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and ^(aa)rebellious, for the ^(ab)ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and ^(ac)profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers

^[f]and ^[g](ad)immoral men ^[h]and ^(ae)homosexuals ^[i]and ^(af)kidnappers ^[j]and ^(ag)liars ^[k]and ^(ah)perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to ^(ai)sound teaching,

according to ^(aj)the glorious gospel of ^(ak)the blessed God, with which I have been ^(al)entrusted.

I thank ^(am)Christ Jesus our Lord, who has ^(an)strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, ^(ao)putting me into service,

even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a ^(ap)persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was ^(aq)shown mercy because ^(ar)I acted ignorantly in unbelief;

and the ^(as)grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the ^(at)faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

^(au)It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that ^(av)Christ Jesus came into the world to ^(aw)save sinners, among whom ^(ax)I am foremost of all.

Yet for this reason I ^(ay)found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might ^(az)demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those ^[l]who would believe in Him for eternal life.

Now to the ^(ba)King ^[m]eternal, ^(bb)immortal, ^(bc)invisible, the ^(bd)only God, ^(be)be honor and glory ^[n]forever and ever. Amen.

This ^(bf)command I entrust to you, Timothy, ^(bg)my ^[o]son, in accordance with the ^(bh)prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you ^(bi)fight the good fight,

keeping ^(bj)faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to ^[p](bk)their faith.

^[q]Among these are ^(bl)Hymenaeus and ^(bm)Alexander, whom I have ^(bn)handed over to Satan, so that they will be ^(bo)taught not to blaspheme.

First of all, then, I urge that ^(a)entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,

^(b)for kings and all who are in ^[a]authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and ^[b]dignity.

This is good and acceptable in the sight of ^(c)God our Savior,

^(d)who desires all men to be ^(e)saved and to ^(f)come to the ^[c]knowledge of the truth.

For there is ^(g)one God, and ^(h)one mediator also between God and men, the ⁽ⁱ⁾man Christ Jesus,

who ^(j)gave Himself as a ransom for all, the ^(k)testimony ^[d]given at ^[e](l)the proper time.

^(m)For this I was appointed a ^[f]preacher and ⁽ⁿ⁾an apostle (^(o)I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of ^(p)the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Therefore ^(q)I want the men ^(r)in every place to pray, ^(s)lifting up ^(t)holy hands, without wrath and dissension.

Likewise, I want ^(u)women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, ^[g]modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,

but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.

^(v)A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.

^(w)But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.

^(x)For it was Adam who was first ^[h]created, and then Eve.

And it was not Adam who was deceived, but ^(y)the woman being deceived, ^[i]fell into transgression.

But women will be ^[j]preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in ^(z)faith and love and sanctity with ^[k]self-restraint.

^(a)It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the ^(b)office of ^[a]overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.

^[b](c)An overseer, then, must be above reproach, ^(d)the husband of one wife, ^(e)temperate, prudent, respectable, ^(f)hospitable, ^(g)able to teach,

^(h)not addicted to wine ^[c]or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, ⁽ⁱ⁾free from the love of money.

He must be one who ^(j)manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity

(but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of ^(k)the church of God?),

and not a new convert, so that he will not become ^(l)conceited and fall into the ^(m)condemnation ^[d]incurred by the devil.

And he must ⁽ⁿ⁾have a good reputation with ^(o)those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and ^(p)the snare of the devil.

^(q)Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not ^[e]double-tongued, ^[f](r)or addicted to much wine ^[g](s)or fond of sordid gain,

^(t)but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

^(u)These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.

^[h]Women must likewise be dignified, ^(v)not malicious gossips, but ^(w)temperate, faithful in all things.

^(x)Deacons must be ^(y)husbands of only one wife, and ^[i](z)good managers of their children and their own households.

For those who have served well as deacons ^(aa)obtain for themselves a ^[j]high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long;

but ^[k]in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how ^[l]one ought to conduct himself in ^(ab)the household of God, which is the ^(ac)church of ^(ad)the living God, the ^(ae)pillar and support of the truth.

By common confession, great is ^(af)the mystery of godliness: He who was ^(ag)revealed in the flesh, Was ^[m](ah)vindicated ^[n]in the Spirit, ^(ai)Seen by angels, ^(aj)Proclaimed among the nations, ^(ak)Believed on in the world, ^(al)Taken up in glory.