Paul's Greeting to Timothy

(2 Timothy 1:1-2)

1Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ, according to [the] command of God our Saviour, and of Christ Jesus our hope,

2to Timotheus, [my] true child in faith: grace, mercy, peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Warning against False Teaching

3Even as I begged thee to remain in Ephesus, [when I was] going to Macedonia, that thou mightest enjoin some not to teach other doctrines, 4nor to turn their minds to fables and interminable genealogies, which bring questionings rather than [further] God's dispensation, which [is] in faith. 5But the end of what is enjoined is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith; 6which [things] some having missed, have turned aside to vain discourse, 7desiring to be law-teachers, not understanding either what they say or concerning what they [so] strenuously affirm.

8Now we know that the law [is] good if any one uses it lawfully, 9knowing this, that law has not its application to a righteous person, but to [the] lawless and insubordinate, to [the] impious and sinful, to [the] unholy and profane, to smiters of fathers and smiters of mothers; to murderers, 10fornicators, sodomites, kidnappers, liars, perjurers; and if any other thing is opposed to sound teaching, 11according to the glad tidings of the glory of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

God's Grace to Paul

12[And] I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me power, that he has counted me faithful, appointing to ministry him 13who before was a blasphemer and persecutor, and an insolent overbearing [man]: but mercy was shewn me because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief. 14But the grace of our Lord surpassingly over-abounded with faith and love, which [is] in Christ Jesus. 15Faithful [is] the word, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am [the] first. 16But for this reason mercy was shewn me, that in me, [the] first, Jesus Christ might display the whole long-suffering, for a delineation of those about to believe on him to life eternal. 17Now to the King of the ages, [the] incorruptible, invisible, only God, honour and glory to the ages of ages. Amen.

18This charge, [my] child Timotheus, I commit to thee, according to the prophecies as to thee preceding, in order that thou mightest war by them the good warfare, 19maintaining faith and a good conscience; which [last] some, having put away, have made shipwreck as to faith; 20of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, that they may be taught by discipline not to blaspheme.