1 Timothy 1

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope.

2To Timothy, my true son in the faith: May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.

3When I went to Macedonia, I asked you to stay in Ephesus. I wanted you to order certain people to stop teaching false things,

4and to stop paying attention to made-up stories and endless family-tree lists. These only stir up arguments instead of doing God's work, which is done by faith.

5The goal of this command is love — love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and an honest faith.

6Some people have wandered away from these things and turned aside to empty talk.

7They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or what they so confidently claim.

8We know that the law is good, if a person uses it the right way.

9We also know that the law is not made for those who are good, but for those who break the law and refuse to obey, who are against God and full of sin, who have nothing holy about them, who kill their fathers or mothers, who murder,

10who sin sexually, men who have sexual relations with other men, those who steal people to sell them as slaves, liars, those who make false promises, and whoever else does what is against sound teaching.

11This teaching agrees with the glorious good news of the blessed God, the good news he trusted to me.

12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who gave me strength, because he counted me trustworthy and chose me to serve him.

13In the past I said evil things against him, I attacked him, and I was cruel. But God showed me mercy, because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

14The grace of our Lord poured over me, together with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

15Here is a true saying that everyone should accept: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — and I am the worst of them.

16But for this very reason God showed me mercy: so that in me, the worst sinner, Christ Jesus could show how very patient he is, as an example to those who would later believe in him and receive eternal life.

17Now to the King who lives forever, who never dies and cannot be seen, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

18Timothy, my son, I give you this command, in keeping with the prophecies once spoken about you. Use them to fight the good fight,

19holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some people have rejected these and have wrecked their faith.

20Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to speak against God.