Greeting
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To Timothy, 5my true child in the faith: 6Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Warning Against False Teachers
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7As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not 8to teach any different doctrine,
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nor 9to devote themselves to myths and endless 10genealogies, which promote 11speculations rather than the stewardshipa from God that is by faith.
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The aim of our charge is love 12that issues from a pure heart and 13a good conscience and 14a sincere faith.
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desiring to be teachers of the law, 17without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
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Now we know that 18the law is good, if one uses it lawfully,
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understanding this, that the 19law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers,
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the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,b liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to 20soundc doctrine,
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in accordance with 21the gospel of the glory of 22the blessed God 23with which I have been entrusted.
Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners
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I thank him 24who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, 25appointing me to his service,
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though formerly I was a blasphemer, 26persecutor, and insolent opponent. But 27I received mercy 28because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
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and 29the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the 30faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
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The saying is 31trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus 32came into the world to save sinners, 33of whom I am the foremost.
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But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
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To 34the King of ages, 35immortal, 36invisible, 37the only God, 38be honor and glory forever and ever.d Amen.
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This charge 39I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with 40the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may 41wage the good warfare,
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)