THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO TIMOTHY
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1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, through the command of God, our Saviour, and Christ Jesus, our hope, 2 to Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 As I besought thee, when I set out for Macedonia, to remain still in Ephesus, that thou mightst charge certain persons not to teach other doctrine, 4 nor to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which occasion disputes rather than promote God's dispensation which is in faith, [[so I do now.]] 5 Now the end of the commandment is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned; 6 from which some swerving turned aside to vain babbling, 7 desiring to be teachers of the Law, understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 8 But we know that the Law is good, if a man use it lawfully, 9 knowing this, that the Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for man-slayers, 10 for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to the sound teaching, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. 12 And I thank him who gave me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, that he accounted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, t 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and a doer of outrage; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief; 14 and the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 True is the saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 But for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me especially Christ Jesus might show forth all his long-suffering, as an example to those who should hereafter believe in him to life everlasting. 17 Now to the King eternal, the imperishable, invisible, only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 18 This charge I commit to thee, my child Timothy, in accordance with the directions of the prophets before given to thee, that thou mayst in them war the good warfare, 19 having faith, and a good conscience, which some thrusting away made shipwreck concerning the faith; 20 of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.