A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
1 Timothy 1
1 Timothy 1 is the opening chapter of the fifty-fourth book of the Bible. The 20-verse chapter opens Paul's first letter to his young coworker Timothy, who has been left in Ephesus to deal with false teachers and to organize church life there.
The chapter opens with Paul's greeting. He identifies himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope. He addresses Timothy as his true son in the faith.
Paul gets to the issue immediately. He left Timothy in Ephesus so that Timothy could command certain people there to stop teaching false doctrines and to stop devoting themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote speculation rather than the work of God which is by faith. The goal of Paul's instruction, by contrast, is love, which comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
Paul notes that some have wandered away from these things and turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law without understanding what they are saying. The law, Paul argues, is good if one uses it lawfully, recognizing that it was not made for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels. He gives a long list of categories the law addresses, all of which are contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel.
The chapter then turns personal. Paul thanks Christ Jesus for considering him faithful and appointing him to his service, even though he was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. He calls himself the worst of sinners, the foremost example of God's mercy, displayed for those who would later come to believe.
The chapter closes with Paul's charge to Timothy to fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. He mentions two men, Hymenaeus and Alexander, who have rejected these things and whom Paul has handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
Verse 1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
Verse 2. To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Verse 3. As I urged you on my departure to Macedonia, you should stay on at Ephesus to instruct certain men not to teach false doctrines
Verse 4. or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.
Verse 5. The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
Verse 6. Some have strayed from these ways and turned aside to empty talk.
Verse 7. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or that which they so confidently assert.
Verse 8. Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately.
Verse 9. We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers,
Verse 10. for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching
Verse 11. that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.
Verse 12. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service.
Verse 13. I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
Verse 14. And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Verse 15. This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
Verse 16. But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
Verse 17. Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Verse 18. Timothy, my child, I entrust you with this command in keeping with the previous prophecies about you, so that by them you may fight the good fight,
Verse 19. holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith.
Verse 20. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
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