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¹ From[fn] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope,[xr] ² to Timothy, my genuine child in the faith. May grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord be yours![xr] ³ When I was on my way to Macedonia, I urged you to stay in Ephesus so that you could instruct certain people to stop teaching false doctrine[xr] ⁴ and occupying themselves with myths and endless genealogies. These things promote controversies rather than God's ongoing purpose, which involves faith.[xr]

⁵ The goal of this instruction is love that flows from a pure heart, from a clear conscience, and from a sincere faith.[xr] ⁶ Some people have left these qualities behind and have turned to fruitless discussion.[xr] ⁷ They want to be teachers of the law, yet they do not understand either what they are talking about or the things about which they speak so confidently.[xr] ⁸ Of course, we know that the law is good if a person uses it legitimately,[xr] ⁹ that is, if he understands that the law is not intended for righteous[fn] people but for lawbreakers and rebels, for ungodly people and sinners, for those who are unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers, their mothers, or other people,[xr] ¹⁰ for those involved in sexual immorality, for homosexuals, for kidnappers,[fn] for liars, for false witnesses, and for whatever else goes against the healthy teaching[xr] ¹¹ that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.[xr]

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who gives me strength, that he has considered me faithful and has appointed me to his service.[xr] ¹³ In the past I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent[fn] man. But I received mercy because I acted ignorantly in my unbelief,[xr] ¹⁴ and the grace of our Lord overflowed toward me,[fn] along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.[xr] ¹⁵ This saying is trustworthy and deserves complete acceptance:[fn][xr] To this world Christ Jesus came, Sinful people to reclaim.[fn] I am the worst of them. ¹⁶ But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the worst sinner,[fn] Christ Jesus might demonstrate all of his patience as an example for those who would believe in him for eternal life.[xr] ¹⁷ Now to the King Eternal - the immortal, invisible, and only God - be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.[xr]

¹⁸ Timothy, my child, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies made earlier about you, so that by following them you may continue to fight the good fight[xr] ¹⁹ with faith and a good conscience. By ignoring their consciences,[fn] some people have destroyed their faith like a wrecked ship.[xr] ²⁰ These include Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme.[xr]