Pastoral Epistles in 13 Days

¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,

² To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

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

⁴ or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.

⁵ The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.

⁶ Some have strayed from these ways and turned aside to empty talk.

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.

⁸ Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately.

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,

¹⁰ for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching

¹¹ that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service.

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.

¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

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.

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.

¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

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,

¹⁹ holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith.

²⁰ Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

¹ First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone—

² for kings and all those in authority—so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity.

³ This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,

⁴ who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

⁵ For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

⁶ who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.

⁷ For this reason I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a faithful and true teacher of the Gentiles. I am telling the truth; I am not lying about anything.

⁸ Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.

⁹ Likewise, I want the women to adorn themselves with respectable apparel, with modesty, and with self-control, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,

¹⁰ but with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess to worship God.

¹¹ A woman must learn in quietness and full submissiveness.

¹² I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; she is to remain quiet.

¹³ For Adam was formed first, and then Eve.

¹⁴ And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman who was deceived and fell into transgression.

¹⁵ Women, however, will be saved through childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

¹ This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble task.

² An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

³ not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money.

⁴ An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity.

⁵ For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?

⁶ He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil.

⁷ Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.

⁸ Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money.

⁹ They must hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

¹⁰ Additionally, they must first be tested. Then, if they are above reproach, let them serve as deacons.

¹¹ In the same way, the women must be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in all things.

¹² A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household.

¹³ For those who have served well as deacons acquire for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴ Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these things

¹⁵ in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

¹⁶ By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.

¹ Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,

² influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.

³ They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

⁴ For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected,

⁵ because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

⁶ By pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of faith and sound instruction that you have followed.

⁷ But reject irreverent, silly myths. Instead, train yourself for godliness.

⁸ For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.

⁹ This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance.

¹⁰ To this end we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of everyone, and especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things.

¹² Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.

¹⁴ Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you through the prophecy spoken over you at the laying on of the hands of the elders.

¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters and absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.

¹⁶ Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

¹ Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers,

² older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

³ Honor the widows who are truly widows.

⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to their own family and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.

⁵ The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers.

⁶ But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive.

⁷ Give these instructions to the believers, so that they will be above reproach.

⁸ If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹ A widow should be enrolled if she is at least sixty years old, faithful to her husband,

¹⁰ and well known for good deeds such as bringing up children, entertaining strangers, washing the feet of the saints, imparting relief to the afflicted, and devoting herself to every good work.

¹¹ But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry,

¹² and thus will incur judgment because they are setting aside their first faith.

¹³ At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention.

¹⁴ So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.

¹⁵ For some have already turned aside to follow Satan.

¹⁶ If any believing woman has dependent widows, she must assist them and not allow the church to be burdened, so that it can help the widows who are truly in need.

¹⁷ Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

¹⁸ For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”

¹⁹ Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

²⁰ But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin.

²¹ I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality.

²² Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

²³ Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

²⁴ The sins of some men are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment; but the sins of others do not surface until later.

²⁵ In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even the ones that are inconspicuous cannot remain hidden.

¹ All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as fully worthy of honor, so that God’s name and our teaching will not be discredited.

² Those who have believing masters should not show disrespect because they are brothers, but should serve them all the more, since those receiving their good service are beloved believers. Teach and encourage these principles.

³ If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching,

⁴ he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and disputes about words, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,

⁵ and constant friction between men of depraved mind who are devoid of the truth. These men regard godliness as a means of gain.

⁶ Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.

⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, so we cannot carry anything out of it.

⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.

⁹ Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

¹⁰ For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

¹¹ But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses.

¹³ I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who made the good confession in His testimony before Pontius Pilate:

¹⁴ Keep this commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁵ which the blessed and only Sovereign One—the King of kings and Lord of lords—will bring about in His own time.

¹⁶ He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

¹⁷ Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy.

¹⁸ Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share,

¹⁹ treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

²⁰ O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”

²¹ which some have professed and thus swerved away from the faith. Grace be with you all.

¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,

² To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³ I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as did my forefathers, as I constantly remember you night and day in my prayers.

⁴ Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.

⁵ I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced is in you as well.

⁶ For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

⁸ So do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me, His prisoner. Instead, join me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.

⁹ He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.

¹⁰ And now He has revealed this grace through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the gospel,

¹¹ to which I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.

¹² For this reason, even though I suffer as I do, I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day.

¹³ Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching you have heard from me, with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴ Guard the treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

¹⁵ You know that everyone in the Province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

¹⁶ May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he has often refreshed me and was unashamed of my chains.

¹⁷ Indeed, when he arrived in Rome, he searched diligently until he found me.

¹⁸ May the Lord grant Onesiphorus His mercy on that day. You know very well how much he ministered to me in Ephesus.

¹ You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

² And the things that you have heard me say among many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others as well.

³ Join me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

⁴ A soldier refrains from entangling himself in civilian affairs, in order to please the one who enlisted him.

⁵ Likewise, a competitor does not receive the crown unless he competes according to the rules.

⁶ The hardworking farmer should be the first to partake of the crops.

⁷ Consider what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all things.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David, as proclaimed by my gospel,

⁹ for which I suffer to the extent of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained!

¹⁰ For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

¹¹ This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him;

¹² if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us;

¹³ if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

¹⁴ Remind the believers of these things, charging them before God to avoid quarreling over words, which succeeds only in leading the listeners to ruin.

¹⁵ Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.

¹⁶ But avoid irreverent, empty chatter, which will only lead to more ungodliness,

¹⁷ and the talk of such men will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

¹⁸ who have deviated from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already occurred, and they undermine the faith of some.

¹⁹ Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”

²⁰ A large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some indeed are for honorable use, but others are for common use.

²¹ So if anyone cleanses himself of what is unfit, he will be a vessel for honor: sanctified, useful to the Master, and prepared for every good work.

²² Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

²³ But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling.

²⁴ And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.

²⁵ He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.

²⁶ Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will.

¹ But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come.

² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good,

⁴ traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!

⁶ They are the kind who worm their way into households and captivate vulnerable women who are weighed down with sins and led astray by various passions,

⁷ who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith.

⁹ But they will not advance much further. For just like Jannes and Jambres, their folly will be plain to everyone.

¹⁰ You, however, have observed my teaching, my conduct, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my perseverance,

¹¹ my persecutions, and the sufferings that came upon me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.

¹² Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

¹³ while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

¹⁴ But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them.

¹⁵ From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

¹⁷ so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

¹ I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom:

² Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.

³ For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.

⁴ So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

⁵ But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

⁶ For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.

⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

⁸ From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.

⁹ Make every effort to come to me quickly,

¹⁰ because Demas, in his love of this world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.

¹¹ Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me in the ministry.

¹² Tychicus, however, I have sent to Ephesus.

¹³ When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

¹⁴ Alexander the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds.

¹⁵ You too should beware of him, for he has vigorously opposed our message.

¹⁶ At my first defense, no one stood with me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be charged against them.

¹⁷ But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion.

¹⁸ And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁹ Greet Prisca and Aquila, as well as the household of Onesiphorus.

²⁰ Erastus has remained at Corinth, and Trophimus I left sick in Miletus.

²¹ Make every effort to come to me before winter. Eubulus sends you greetings, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

²² The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.

¹ Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,

² in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.

³ In His own time He has made His word evident in the proclamation entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.

⁴ To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

⁵ The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

⁶ An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.

⁷ As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money.

⁸ Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

⁹ He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.

¹⁰ For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision,

¹¹ who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not.

¹² As one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

¹³ This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith

¹⁴ and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who have rejected the truth.

¹⁵ To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Indeed, both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

¹⁶ They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.

¹ But as for you, speak the things that are consistent with sound doctrine.

² Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, and sound in faith, love, and perseverance.

³ Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers or addicted to much wine, but teachers of good.

⁴ In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children,

⁵ to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.

⁶ In the same way, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.

⁷ In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,

⁸ and wholesome speech that is above reproach, so that anyone who opposes us will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us.

⁹ Slaves are to submit to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,

¹⁰ not stealing from them, but showing all good faith, so that in every respect they will adorn the teaching about God our Savior.

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone.

¹² It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

¹³ as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

¹⁴ He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

¹⁵ Speak these things as you encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

¹ Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work,

² to malign no one, and to be peaceable and gentle, showing full consideration to everyone.

³ For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

⁴ But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,

⁵ He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

⁶ This is the Spirit He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

⁷ so that, having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs with the hope of eternal life.

⁸ This saying is trustworthy. And I want you to emphasize these things, so that those who have believed God will take care to devote themselves to good deeds. These things are excellent and profitable for the people.

⁹ But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law, because these things are pointless and worthless.

¹⁰ Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition,

¹¹ knowing that such a man is corrupt and sinful; he is self-condemned.

¹² As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there.

¹³ Do your best to equip Zenas the lawyer and Apollos, so that they will have everything they need.

¹⁴ And our people must also learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet the pressing needs of others, so that they will not be unfruitful.

¹⁵ All who are with me send you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with all of you.