1 Timothy 1

1From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, 2to Timothy, my true son in the faith. Grace, mercy and peace to you from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.

3When I was leaving for Macedonia, I urged you to stay on in Ephesus, so that you could order certain people to stop teaching a different doctrine 4and to stop giving their minds to myths and endless lists of ancestors. These lead to speculation rather than to God’s plan, which works through faith. 5The aim of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience and a faith without pretense. 6Some have missed this aim and wandered off into empty talk. 7They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying, or the things they are so sure about.

8We know that the law is good, if it is used as it should be. 9We know that law is not made for people who do right, but for the lawless and the rebellious, the ungodly and sinners, those who have no regard for what is holy, those who kill their fathers or mothers, murderers, 10the sexually immoral, men who have sex with men, slave traders, liars, those who break their oaths, and whatever else goes against the sound teaching 11that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which has been entrusted to me.

12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, because he judged me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13even though I used to speak against him, persecute his people and treat them violently. But I was shown mercy, because I did not know what I was doing in my unbelief, 14and the grace of our Lord poured over me, along with the faith and love that are found in Christ Jesus. 15Here is a saying you can rely on, which deserves to be fully accepted: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the worst of them. 16But I was shown mercy for this very reason: so that in me, the worst of all, Christ Jesus could show how completely patient he is, as an example for those who would come to believe in him and receive eternal life. 17To the King of all ages, the immortal, invisible and only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

18Timothy, my son, I am entrusting you with this charge, in keeping with the prophecies once spoken over you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, 19holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have thrown their conscience aside, and their faith has been wrecked. 20Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme.