by one who recognizes that laws were not made for good men, but for the lawless and disorderly, for irreligious and wicked people, for those who are irreverent and profane, for those who ill-treat their fathers or mothers, for murderers,

for the immoral, for people guilty of sodomy, for slave-dealers, for liars, for perjurers, and for whatever else is opposed to sound Christian teaching--

I am thankful to Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has been my strength, for showing that he thought me worthy of trust by appointing me to his ministry,

Yet mercy was shown me for the express purpose that Christ Jesus might exhibit in my case, beyond all others, his exhaustless patience, as an example for those who were afterwards to believe on him and attain Immortal Life.

To the Immortal King, ever-living, invisible, the one God, be ascribed honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be offered for every one,

especially for kings and all who are in high positions, in order that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in a deeply religious and reverent spirit.

and it was for this that I was myself appointed a Herald and an Apostle (I am telling the simple truth and no lie)--a Teacher of the Gentiles in the Faith and Truth.

My desire, then, is that it should be the custom everywhere for the men to lead the prayers, with hands reverently uplifted, avoiding heated controversy.

I also desire that women should adorn themselves with appropriate dress, worn quietly and modestly, and not with wreaths or gold ornaments for the hair, or pearls, or costly clothing,

but--as is proper for women who profess to be religious--with good actions.

How true is that saying! When a man aspires to be a Presiding-Officer in the Church, he is ambitious for a noble task.

Those who have filled that post with honour gain for themselves an honorable position, as well as great confidence through the faith that they place in Christ Jesus.

Yes, and confessedly wonderful are the deep truths of our religion; for-- 'He was revealed in our nature, pronounced righteous in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up into glory.'

for it is consecrated by God's blessing and by prayer.

As for profane legends and old wives' tales, leave them alone. Train yourself to lead a religious life;

for while the training of the body is of service in some respects, religion is of service in all, carrying with it, as it does, a promise of Life both here and hereafter.

With that aim we toil and struggle, for we have set our hopes on the Living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who hold the Faith.

Look to yourself as well as to your teaching. Persevere in this, for your doing so will mean Salvation for yourself as well as for your hearers.

Show consideration for widows--I mean those who are really widowed.

but, if a widow has children or grand-children, let them learn to show proper regard for the members of their own family first, and to make some return to their parents; for that is pleasing in God's sight.

As for the woman who is really widowed and left quite alone, her hopes are fixed on God, and she devotes herself to prayers and supplications night and day.

Those are the points on which you should dwell, that there may be no call for your censure.

Any one who fails to provide for his own relations, and especially for those under his own roof, has disowned the Faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.

and be well spoken of for her kind actions. She should have brought up children, have shown hospitality to strangers, have washed the feet of her fellow Christians, have relieved those who were in distress, and devoted herself to every kind of good action.

But you should exclude the younger widows from the list; for, when they grow restive under the yoke of the Christ, they want to marry,

and so they bring condemnation upon themselves for having broken their previous promise.

Therefore I advise young widows to marry, bear children, and attend to their homes, and so avoid giving the enemy an opportunity for scandal.

is puffed up with conceit, not really knowing anything, but having a morbid craving for discussions and arguments. Such things only give rise to envy, quarreling, recriminations, base suspicions,

For we brought nothing into the world, because we cannot even carry anything out of it.

Run the great race of the Faith, and win the Immortal Life. It was for this that you received the Call, and, in the presence of many witnesses, made the great profession of Faith.

I urge you to keep his Command free from stain or reproach, until the Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

who alone is possessed of immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or ever can see--to whom be ascribed honour and power for ever. Amen.

storing up for themselves what in the future will prove to be a good foundation, that they may gain the only true Life.

for there are those who, while asserting their proficiency in it, have yet, as regards the Faith, gone altogether astray. God bless you all.