New Testament
1 Timothy 1
Overview
Paul opens by reminding Timothy why he was left in Ephesus: to charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine, nor to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies that promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God that is by faith. He sets the goal of his charge as love that issues from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith, and exposes the would-be teachers of the law as men who do not understand what they so confidently affirm. He then shows the law's proper use against the lawless, listing sins that match the second table of the Decalogue, all measured against the sound teaching that accords with the gospel entrusted to him. The chapter rises to a personal doxology: Paul, the former blasphemer and persecutor who calls himself the foremost of sinners, holds up his own conversion as proof that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and as a pattern of perfect patience for all who would believe. Paul closes by handing Timothy the charge to wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience, and names Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom he has handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
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.
3As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine,
4and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith.
5But the goal of this command is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith,
6from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned away to vain talking,
7desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say nor about what they strongly affirm.
8But we know that the law is good if a person uses it lawfully,
9as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine,
11according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
12I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service,
13although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
16However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life.
17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith,
20of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they might be taught not to blaspheme.