So the pastor must be a man above reproach, must have only one wife, must be temperate, sensible, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful in teaching;

He must manage his own family well and have children who are submissive and respectful in every way.

(If a man does not know how to rule his own household, how shall he have the Church of God given into his care?)

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

but men who hold the deep truths of the Faith and have a clear conscience.

A deacon too must have only one wife, and manage his children and household well.

For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

But if I should be delayed, I have written so that you will know how people ought to act in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

through the hypocrisy of men who teach falsely and have their own consciences seared as with a hot iron;

who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from [certain kinds of] foods which God has created to be gratefully shared by those who believe and have [a clear] knowledge of the truth.

If you point out these instructions to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished [through study] on the words of the faith and of the good [Christian] doctrine which you have closely followed.

But have nothing to do with irreverent and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness,

For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe.

Let no one have cause to despise thy youth; but he thou an example to believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Do not neglect the spiritual gift you have, given to you and confirmed by prophetic words when the elders laid hands on you.

Have a care for these things; give yourself to them with all your heart, so that all may see how you go forward.

Honor widows who have no other family members to care for them.

But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

[But] do not put a widow on the list [i.e., of people being helped by the church. See Acts 6:1] who is under sixty years old. [And she must] have been the wife of one man,

Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

And they get into the way of doing no work, going about from house to house; and not only doing no work, but talking foolishly, being over-interested in the business of others, saying things which they have no right to say.

So I want younger widows to get married, have children, manage their households, and not give opponents of the faith any occasion for slander.

For already some have turned aside after Satan.

If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

Presbyters who are efficient presidents are to be considered worthy of ample remuneration, particularly those who have the task of preaching and teaching:

Those that sin convict before all, that the rest also may have fear.

Do not put hands on any man without thought, and have no part in other men's sins: keep yourself clean.

The vices of some men are so notorious, they prevent any inquisition: others don't discover themselves till they have been ordain'd.

In like manner also the good works [of some] are previously manifest; and it is not possible that what they have besides should be concealed.

And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

meddling, of men whose minds have been corrupted and deprived of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness. Withdraw from such.

For we have brought nothing into the world: it is manifest that neither can we carry anything out.

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

But those who have a desire for wealth are falling into danger, and are taken as in a net by a number of foolish and damaging desires, through which men are overtaken by death and destruction.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Fight the good fight for the faith;
take hold of eternal life
that you were called to
and have made a good confession about
in the presence of many witnesses.

who alone has immortality, dwelling in light which cannot be approached, whom no one of men have seen, nor can see; to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.

Charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

O Timothy, keep what is deposited in your care, avoiding the prophane empty declamations and objections of a spurious science, which some have profess'd,

Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

[It is being sent] to Timothy, my dearly loved son. May you have unearned favor, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

When I remember the tears you shed I long night and day to see you again, and have the perfect happiness

I [also] remember the sincere faith you have in your heart, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am convinced, lives in you [too].

For this reason I say to you, Let that grace of God which is in you, given to you by my hands, have living power.

Have no feeling of shame, then, for the witness of our Lord or for me, his prisoner: but undergo all things for the good news in the measure of the power of God;

for He delivered us and saved us and called us with a holy calling [a calling that leads to a consecrated life—a life set apart—a life of purpose], not because of our works [or because of any personal merit—we could do nothing to earn this], but because of His own purpose and grace [His amazing, undeserved favor] which was granted to us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago],

to which I have been appointed a herald and apostle and teacher of the nations.

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Have an outline of sound words, which words thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

Thou knowest this, that all who are in Asia, of whom is Phygellus and Hermogenes, have turned away from me.

(May he have the Lord's mercy in that day); and of all he did for me at Ephesus you have full knowledge.

As for you, my son, strenuously acquit yourself of the charge you have receiv'd from Christ Jesus.

The things [the doctrine, the precepts, the admonitions, the sum of my ministry] which you have heard me teach in the presence of many witnesses, entrust [as a treasure] to reliable and faithful men who will also be capable and qualified to teach others.

And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowned, except he have contended lawfully.

Furthermore, it is the hard working farmer who should have the first share of the crops.

for which I have to suffer imprisonment as if I were a criminal. (But there is no prison for the word of God.)

But I undergo all things for the saints, so that they may have salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

The word is faithful; for if we have died together with him, we shall also live together;

If we go on to the end, then we will be ruling with him: if we say we have no knowledge of him, then he will say he has no knowledge of us:

Of these things put in remembrance, testifying earnestly before the Lord not to have disputes of words, profitable for nothing, to the subversion of the hearers.

Do your best to present yourself as a worker who is approved by God [and] does not have to be ashamed, [because you are] accurately handling [i.e., explaining] the message of truth.

and their word as a gangrene will have pasture, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus,

Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

If therefore one shall have purified himself from these, in separating himself from them, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified, serviceable to the Master, prepared for every good work.

But have nothing to do with foolish and ignorant speculations [useless disputes over unedifying, stupid controversies], since you know that they produce strife and give birth to quarrels.

And they should wake up to sobriety out of, the adversary's, snare, - though they have been taken alive by him for, that one's, will.

destitute of natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers. They will have no self-control, but will be brutal, opposed to goodness,

they will be treacherous, reckless and conceited, preferring pleasure to God ??5 for though they keep up a form of religion, they will have nothing to do with it as a force. Avoid all such.

They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these.

Just as Jannes and Jambres [the court magicians of Egypt] opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, unqualified and worthless [as teachers] in regard to the faith.

But they will have no further success; for their folly will be as clearly manifest to all men, as that of the opponents of Moses came to be.

Now you have diligently followed [my example, that is] my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,

and the persecutions and sufferings which I have endured; the things which happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. You know the persecutions I endured, and how the Lord delivered me out of them all.

Yes, and all who aim at living a religious life in union with Christ Jesus will have to suffer persecution;

But as for you, continue in the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced [holding tightly to the truths], knowing from whom you learned them,

and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Hebrew Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus [surrendering your entire self to Him and having absolute confidence in His wisdom, power and goodness].

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge [both] those still alive and those who have already died, and in view of His appearing [i.e., at His second coming] and His kingdom [i.e., when it is revealed in its eternal splendor], I solemnly urge you:

For there will be a time when they will not put up with sound teaching, but in accordance with their own desires, they will accumulate for themselves teachers, {because they have an insatiable curiosity},

and they will turn away their ear from the truth, and will have turned aside to fables.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing.

Luke is the only friend I now have with me. Call for Mark on your way and bring him with you, for he is a great help to me in my ministry.

And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

for he has been bitterly hostile to anything I have said.

But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that the message preached by me might have its full effect and all the heathen might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's jaws.

Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

serving in hope of the life eternal which God, who never lies, promised ages ago ??3 he gave effect to his word in due time by a proclamation with which I have been entrusted by command of God our Saviour: ??4 to Titus my lawful son in a faith we hold in common; grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.

but has manifested in its own due season his word, in the proclamation with which I have been entrusted, according to the commandment of our Saviour God;

[It is being sent] to Titus, my true son, [who shares] in a common faith. [May you have] unearned favor and peace [which come] from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

I have left you behind in Crete in order that you may set right the things which still require attention, and appoint Elders in every town, as I directed you to do;

An elder must be blameless. He must be the husband of one wife and have children who are believers and who are not accused of having wild lifestyles or of being rebellious.

For there are many rebellious men who are empty talkers [just windbags] and deceivers; especially those of the circumcision [those Jews who insist that Gentile believers must be circumcised and keep the Law in order to be saved].

who must have their mouths stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which ought not to be taught for the sake of base gain.

That is a true statement. So deal sharply with them, to have them sound in the faith

Giving no attention to the fictions of the Jews and the rules of men who have no true knowledge.

Everything is clean to those who are clean, but nothing is clean to those who are corrupt and unbelieving. Indeed, their very way of thinking and their consciences have been corrupted.

They say that they have knowledge of God, while by their acts they are turning their backs on him; they are hated by all, hard-hearted, and judged to be without value for any good work.