1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior, and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope; 2to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
A different doctrine
3As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus in order to command certain individuals not to teach a different doctrine 4or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These are a cause of disputes2047 rather than God’s stewardship,2048 which is in faith. 5The goal of this instruction is love, out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. 6But some have wandered away from these things, missing the mark and turning to vain discussions.2049 7They desire to be teachers of the law, although they do not understand what they are talking about, or what it is that they so strongly affirm. 8We know that the law is good, if it is used properly.2050 9As it is, we know that the law is not made for the righteous but for the unrighteous and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, [even] for murderers! 10[The law is for] the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, slave traders, liars, perjurers and for those who practice anything else contrary to the sound doctrine 11which is in accordance with the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me.
Gratitude for God’s mercy
12And I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because he has considered me faithful and has appointed me to [this] ministry,2051 13even though I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and disrespectful. Nevertheless, I obtained mercy because I did those things in ignorance and unbelief; 14and so the grace of our Lord overflowed [onto me, along] with faith and love in Christ Jesus.
15This saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the first.2052 16This is how I obtained mercy, so that in me as ‘the first,’ Jesus Christ might show all his patience as an example for those who would believe in him for eternal life. 17Now to the eternal King,2053 immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory unto ages of ages.2054 Amen.
Instruction to Timothy
18I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies made earlier which singled you out. By them, may you fight the good fight, 19keeping the faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected2055 these and made a shipwreck of the faith, 20including Hymenaeus and Alexander. I delivered them to Satan2056 so that they might learn not to blaspheme.
A call to prayer
- CT reads “speculation”
- TR reads “building up”
- Or “empty talk”
- Or “lawfully, according to rules, legitimately”
- Or “service”
- See Prayer before Communion: “I believe O Lord and I confess that you are truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16), who came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the first”
- Compare Tobit 13:7,11
- Greek tou.j aivw/naj tw/n aivw,nwn
- Or “neglected”
- An expression that probably indicates excommunication, a reversal of baptism which is a public renunciation of Satan “with all his pomp and angels”
Text: The Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible, New Testament (EOB). Used with permission.
