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Correcting False Teaching

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

² To ^(C1)Timothy, ^(C1)my true ^(F1)son in the faith: ^(C2)Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and ^(C3)Christ Jesus our Lord.

³ Just as I urged you ^(F1)upon my departure for ^(C1)Macedonia, to remain on at ^(C2)Ephesus so that you would instruct certain people not to ^(C3)teach strange doctrines,⁴ nor to ^(F1)pay attention to ^(C1)myths and endless ^(C2)genealogies, which give rise to useless ^(C3)speculation rather than ^(C4)advance ^(F2)the plan of God, which is by faith, so I urge you now.⁵ But the goal of our ^(F1)(C1)instruction is love ^(C2)from a pure heart, from a ^(C3)good conscience, and from a sincere ^(C4)faith.⁶ Some people have strayed from these things and 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 realizing the fact 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)worldly, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,¹⁰ for the ^(F1)(C1)sexually immoral, ^(C2)homosexuals, ^(F2)(C3)slave traders, ^(C4)liars, ^(C5)perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to ^(C6)sound teaching,¹¹ according to ^(C1)the glorious gospel of ^(C2)the blessed God, with which I have been ^(C3)entrusted.

Paul's Testimony

¹² I thank ^(C1)Christ Jesus our Lord, who has ^(C2)strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, ^(C3)putting me into service,¹³ even though I was previously 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 found in Christ Jesus.^15 (C1)It is a trustworthy statement, 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)found mercy, so that in me as the foremost sinner Jesus Christ might ^(C2)demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those ^(F1)who would believe in Him for eternal life.¹⁷ Now to the ^(C1)King ^(F1)eternal, ^(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 ^(F1)son, in accordance with the ^(C3)prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you ^(C4)fight the good fight,¹⁹ keeping ^(C1)faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and 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.