As I exhorted thee to tarry at Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine,

For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion,

But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

for fornicators, for abusers of themselves with men, for menstealers, for liars, for false swearers, and if there be any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;

who before was a blasphemer and persecutor, and an insolent overbearing man: but mercy was shewn me because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief.

Faithful is the saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinful men, of whom I am foremost.

Hymenaeus and Alexander are instances--the men whom I delivered over to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

which gave himself a ransom for all men, that it should be testified at his time;

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

A minister then must be a man of irreproachable character, true to his one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved, hospitable to strangers, and with a gift for teaching;

no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;

he should be a man who rules his own household well, and whose children are kept under control and are well-behaved.

(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

He must also be a man of good standing with outsiders, or he may get into disgrace and be entrapped by the slanderers.

Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money,

but upholding and fully understanding the mystery [that is, the true doctrine] of the [Christian] faith with a clear conscience [resulting from behavior consistent with spiritual maturity].

And they must also be well-tried men, and when found to be of unblemished character then let them serve as deacons.

Assistant-Officers should be faithful husbands, and men who rule their children and their households well.

but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron;

Who keep men from being married and from taking food which God made to be taken with praise by those who have faith and true knowledge.

For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Attend to these duties, let them absorb you, so that all men may note your progress.

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.

Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

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

But if a man makes no provision for those dependent on him, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is behaving worse than an unbeliever.

Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,

having been the wife of one man: in repute for good actions, if she have educated children, if she have entertained strangers, if she have washed the feet of saints, if she have relieved the afflicted, and diligently followed every good work.

I will, therefore, that the younger widows marry, bear children, man age the house, and thus give no occasion to the adversaries to speak reproachfully.

As it is, some widows have already turned after Satan. ??16 Any believer, man or woman, who has widowed relatives, must give them relief; the church is not to be burdened with them; she has to relieve the widows who really need relief.

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.

Receive not an accusation against an old man, unless before two or three witnesses.

I solemnly call upon you, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, to carry out these instructions of mine without prejudice, and to do nothing from partiality.

Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.

Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

he is proud, knowing nothing, but is delirious about questions and strifes of words: from which cometh envy, contention, calumnies, wicked suspicions, perverse debates of men corrupted in mind,

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

Godliness is great riches, if a man be content with that he hath.

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

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.

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Give orders to those who have money and goods in this life, not to be lifted up in their minds, or to put their hope in the uncertain chances of wealth, but in God who gives us in full measure all things for our use;

which some affecting have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee.??men.