Paul, ^aan apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of ^bChrist Jesus ^cby the commandment of ^dGod our Savior, and of ^eChrist Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed) our ^fHope the fulfillment of our salvation,

2 to ^aTimothy, ^bmy true son in the faith: ^cGrace, mercy, and peace inner calm and spiritual well-being from God the Father and ^dChrist Jesus our Lord.

3 As I urged you when I was on my way to ^aMacedonia, stay on at ^bEphesus so that you may instruct certain individuals not to ^cteach any different doctrines, 4 nor to pay attention to ^alegends (fables, myths) and endless ^bgenealogies, which give rise to useless ^cspeculation and meaningless arguments rather than ^dadvancing God’s program of instruction which is grounded in faith and requires surrendering the entire self to God in absolute trust and confidence. 5 But the goal of our ^ainstruction is love which springs ^bfrom a pure heart and a ^cgood conscience and a sincere ^dfaith. 6 Some individuals have wandered away from these things into ^aempty arguments and useless discussions, 7 ^awanting to be ^bteachers of the Law of Moses, even though they do not understand the terms they use or the subjects about which they make such confident declarations.

8 Now we know without any doubt that ^athe Law is good, if one uses it lawfully and appropriately, 9 understanding the fact that ^alaw is not enacted for the righteous person the one in right standing with God, but for lawless and ^brebellious people, for the ^cungodly and sinful, for the irreverent and ^dprofane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for ^asexually immoral persons, for ^bhomosexuals, for ^1ckidnappers and slave traders, for ^dliars, for ^eperjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to ^fsound doctrine, 11 according to ^athe glorious gospel of ^bthe blessed God, with which I have been ^centrusted.

12 I thank ^aChrist Jesus our Lord, who has ^bgranted me the needed strength and made me able for this, because He considered me faithful and trustworthy, ^cputting me into service for this ministry, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer of our Lord and a ^apersecutor of His church and a shameful and outrageous and violent aggressor toward believers. Yet I was ^bshown mercy because ^cI acted out of ignorance in unbelief. 14 The ^agrace of our Lord His amazing, unmerited favor and blessing flowed out in superabundance for me, together with the ^bfaith and love which are realized in Christ Jesus. 15 ^1aThis is a faithful and trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance and approval, that ^bChrist Jesus came into the world to ^csave sinners, among whom ^dI am foremost. 16 Yet for this reason I ^afound mercy, so that in me as the foremost of sinners, Jesus Christ might ^bdemonstrate His perfect patience as an example or pattern for those who ¹would believe in Him for eternal life. 17 Now to the ^aKing of the ages eternal, ^bimmortal, ^cinvisible, the ^donly God, ^ebe honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

18 This ^acommand I entrust to you, Timothy, ^bmy son, in accordance with the ^cprophecies previously made concerning you, so that inspired and aided by them you may ^dfight the good fight in contending with false teachers, 19 keeping your ^afaith leaning completely on God with absolute trust and confidence in His guidance and having a good conscience; for some people have rejected their moral compass and have made a shipwreck of ^btheir faith. 20 Among these are ^aHymenaeus and ^bAlexander, whom I have ^1chanded over to Satan, so that they will be ^ddisciplined and taught not to blaspheme.