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Instructions in Doctrine and Living

¹ Paul, ^(C1)an apostle of ^(C2)Christ Jesus ^(C3)according to the commandment of ^(C3)God our Savior, and of ^(C2)Christ Jesus, our ^(C4)hope,

² To ^(C1)Timothy, ^(C1)my genuine child in the faith: ^(C2)Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and ^(C3)Christ Jesus our Lord.

³ As I exhorted you when going to ^(C1)Macedonia, ^(F1)remain on at ^(C2)Ephesus so that you may command certain ones not to ^(C3)teach a different doctrine,⁴ nor to ^(F1)pay attention to ^(C1)myths and endless ^(C2)genealogies, which give rise to mere ^(C3)speculation rather than furthering ^(C4)the stewardship from God which is by faith.⁵ But the goal of our ^(C1)command is love ^(C2)from a pure heart and a ^(C3)good conscience and an unhypocritical ^(C4)faith.⁶ For some, straying from these things, have turned aside to ^(C1)fruitless discussion,^7 (C1)wanting to be ^(C2)teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.

⁸ But we know that ^(C1)the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully,⁹ knowing this, that ^(C1)law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and ^(C2)rebellious, for the ^(C3)ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and ^(C4)godless, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,¹⁰ for ^(C1)sexually immoral persons, for ^(C2)homosexuals, for ^(C3)kidnappers, for ^(C4)liars, for ^(C5)perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to ^(C6)sound teaching,¹¹ according to ^(C1)the gospel of the glory of ^(C2)the blessed God, with which I have been ^(C3)entrusted.

¹² I am grateful to ^(C1)Christ Jesus our Lord, who has ^(C2)strengthened me, because He regarded me faithful, ^(C3)putting me into service,¹³ even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a ^(C1)persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was ^(C2)shown mercy because ^(C3)I acted ignorantly in unbelief;¹⁴ and the ^(C1)grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the ^(C2)faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.^15 (C1)It is a trustworthy saying and deserving full acceptance: that ^(C2)Christ Jesus came into the world to ^(C3)save sinners, among whom ^(C4)I am foremost.¹⁶ Yet for this reason I ^(C1)was shown mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Christ Jesus might ^(C2)demonstrate all His patience as an example for those ^(F1)who are going to believe upon Him for eternal life.¹⁷ Now to the ^(C1)King of the ^(F1)ages, ^(C2)immortal, ^(C3)invisible, the ^(C4)only God, ^(C5)be honor and glory ^(F2)forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸ This ^(C1)command I entrust to you, Timothy, ^(C2)my child, in accordance with the ^(C3)prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may ^(C4)fight the good fight,¹⁹ keeping ^(C1)faith and a good conscience, which some, having rejected, suffered shipwreck in regard to ^(F1)(C2)their faith.^20 (F1)Among these are ^(C1)Hymenaeus and ^(C2)Alexander, whom I have ^(C3)handed over to Satan, so that they will be ^(C4)taught not to blaspheme.