CHAPTER 1
Exhortation to teach true doctrine only—Christ came to save repentant sinners.
1 PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
2 Unto aTimothy•, bmy• cown• son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they ateach• no bother• doctrine,
4 Neither give heed to afables• and endless genealogies, which bminister• cquestions•, rather than godly dedifying which is in faith: so do.
5 Now the end of the acommandment• is bcharity out of a cpure• heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
6 From which some having aswerved• have bturned aside unto cvain• jangling;
7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they aaffirm•.
8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
9 Knowing this, that the alaw is not made for a brighteous man, but for the clawless• and ddisobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 For awhoremongers, for bthem• that cdefile themselves with mankind, for dmenstealers•, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound edoctrine•;
11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my atrust.
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath aenabled• me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
13 Who was before a ablasphemer•, and a bpersecutor•, and cinjurious•: but I obtained dmercy•, because I did it eignorantly• in unbelief.
14 And the agrace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a faithful asaying•, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to bsave• csinners•; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained amercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all blongsuffering, for a cpattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
17 Now unto the aKing• eternal, bimmortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the aprophecies• which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
19 aHolding• faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made bshipwreck:
20 Of whom is aHymenaeus• and bAlexander•; whom I have cdelivered• unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
CHAPTER 2
We should pray for all men—Christ is our mediator—Women should dress modestly—Women blessed in childbearing—Admonished to continue in faith, charity, holiness.
1 I EXHORT therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For akings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and bpeaceable clife in all godliness and dhonesty•.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 aWho• bwill• have call• men to be dsaved•, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is aone• God, and one bmediator• between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who agave himself a bransom• for all, to be ctestified• in due time.
7 Whereunto I am aordained a bpreacher, and an capostle•, (I speak the truth in Christ, and dlie• not;) a teacher of the eGentiles• in faith and fverity•.
8 I awill• therefore that men bpray• every where, lifting up holy chands•, without wrath and ddoubting•.
9 In like manner also, that awomen adorn themselves in bmodest capparel, with dshamefacedness• and sobriety; not with ebroided• hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
10 But (which becometh women professing agodliness) with good works.
11 Let the woman learn in asilence with all subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman to ateach, nor to busurp• authority over the man, but to be in csilence•.
13 For Adam was first aformed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being adeceived was in the btransgression.
15 Notwithstanding ashe• shall be saved in bchildbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and choliness with dsobriety•.
CHAPTER 3
Qualifications set forth for bishops and deacons—Great is the mystery of godliness.
1 THIS is a true asaying•, If a man desire the office of a bbishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be ablameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, bsober•, of good behaviour, given to chospitality, apt to dteach•;
3 Not given to awine, no bstriker•, not greedy of cfilthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that aruleth well his own bhouse, having his cchildren in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to arule• his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a anovice•, lest being lifted up with bpride he fall into the ccondemnation• of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good areport• of them which are bwithout•; lest he fall into reproach and the csnare of the devil.
8 Likewise must the adeacons be bgrave•, not cdoubletongued•, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure aconscience.
10 And let these also first be aproved•; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
11 aEven• so must their bwives be cgrave•, not dslanderers, esober•, ffaithful in all things.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well apurchase• to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
15 aBut• if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the bchurch of the living God, the pillar and cground• of the dtruth.
16 And without controversy great is the amystery• of godliness: bGod• was cmanifest in the dflesh, ejustified• in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, freceived up into glory.
CHAPTER 4
Paul describes the latter-day apostasy—Christ is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe.
1 NOW the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the alatter times some shall bdepart from the faith, giving heed to cseducing• spirits, and ddoctrines of devils;
2 Speaking alies in bhypocrisy; having their cconscience seared with a hot iron;
3 aForbidding• to bmarry, and commanding to cabstain from dmeats, which God hath ecreated• to be received with fthanksgiving• of them which believe and know the truth.
4 For every acreature• of God is bgood•, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with cthanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, awhereunto• thou hast attained.
7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
8 For bodily exercise profiteth alittle•: but bgodliness• is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
10 For therefore we both alabour and suffer breproach, because we ctrust in the living God, who is the dSaviour of all men, specially of those that ebelieve.
11 These things command and teach.
12 Let no man adespise• thy youth; but be thou an bexample of the believers, in word, in cconversation•, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in dpurity.
13 Till I come, give attendance to areading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
14 aNeglect not the bgift that is in thee, which was given thee by cprophecy•, with the dlaying on of the ehands of the fpresbytery•.
15 aMeditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy bprofiting• may cappear• to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both asave• thyself, and them that hear thee.
CHAPTER 5
Saints are to care for their worthy poor—Policies concerning elders are set forth.
1 aREBUKE not an elder, but bintreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as asisters, with all purity.
3 Honour awidows that are widows indeed.
4 But if any widow have achildren or bnephews•, let them learn first to shew cpiety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.
5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and adesolate•, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
6 But she that liveth ain• bpleasure is dead while she liveth.
7 And these things agive• in charge, that they may be blameless.
8 But if any aprovide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years aold, having been the wife of one man,
10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have alodged• strangers, if she have bwashed the saints’ cfeet•, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;
12 Having adamnation•, because they have cast off their first faith.
13 And withal they learn to be aidle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and bbusybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
14 I awill• therefore that the younger bwomen marry, bear cchildren, guide the dhouse•, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.
16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them arelieve them, and let not the church be bcharged•; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.
17 Let the aelders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not amuzzle• the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The blabourer is worthy of his creward•.
19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three awitnesses•.
20 Them that sin arebuke before all, that others also may fear.
21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect aangels, that thou observe these things bwithout• preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
22 aLay bhands suddenly on no cman•, neither be dpartaker• of other men’s sins: keep thyself epure•.
23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.
24 Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they afollow• after.
25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
CHAPTER 6
The love of money is the root of all evil—Fight the good fight of faith—Trust not in worldly riches.
1 LET as many aservants• as are under the byoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are abrethren•; but rather do them bservice, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
3 If any man ateach• otherwise, and consent not to bwholesome• words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is aproud, knowing nothing, but bdoting• about cquestions• and dstrifes of words, whereof cometh eenvy, strife, railings, fevil• surmisings,
5 Perverse adisputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that bgain• is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
6 But agodliness with bcontentment is great gain.
7 For we brought anothing• into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having afood and raiment let us be therewith bcontent.
9 But athey• that will be brich fall into ctemptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful dlusts, which drown men in destruction and eperdition.
10 For the alove• of bmoney is the root of all evil: which while some ccoveted after, they have derred• from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many esorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after arighteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on aeternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast bprofessed• a good profession before many witnesses.
13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who aquickeneth• all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before bPontius• Pilate cwitnessed• a good confession;
14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
15 aWhich• in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only bPotentate•, the cKing• of kings, and Lord of lords;
16 Who only hath aimmortality, dwelling in the blight• which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath cseen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
17 Charge them that are arich• in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain briches•, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to adistribute, willing to bcommunicate;
19 aLaying• up in bstore• for themselves a good foundation cagainst• the time to come, that they may lay hold on deternal• life.
20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy atrust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and boppositions• of science falsely so called:
21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.