1 Timothy 1:3-11 - Instructions For Timothy In Ephesus

³ When I was on my journey to Macedonia I begged you to remain on in Ephesus that you might remonstrate with certain persons because of their erroneous teaching ⁴ and the attention they bestow on mere fables and endless pedigrees, such as lead to controversy rather than to a true stewardship for God, which only exists where there is faith. And I make the same request now. ⁵ But the end sought to be secured by exhortation is the love which springs from a pure heart, a clear conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ From these some have drifted away, and have wandered into empty words. ⁷ They are ambitious to be teachers of the Law, although they do not understand either their own words or what the things are about which they make such confident assertions. ⁸ Now we know that the Law is good, if a man uses it in the way it should be used, ⁹ and remembers that a law is not enacted to control a righteous man, but for the lawless and rebellious, the irreligious and sinful, the godless and profane--for those who strike their fathers or their mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ fornicators, sodomites, slave-dealers, liars and false witnesses; and for whatever else is opposed to wholesome teaching ¹¹ and is not in accordance with the Good News of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.