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?)

He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, or else he may incur reproach and fall into the devil's trap.

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 those who have done good work as Deacons get for themselves a good position and become free from fear 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.

speaking lies in hypocrisy. These are men whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron,

who forbid people to marry and teach them to abstain from certain sorts of food which God created for the grateful enjoyment of those who have faith and a clear knowledge of the truth.

If you continue to put these things before the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, ever feeding your own soul on the truths of the faith and of the fine teaching which you have followed.

But have nothing to do with unclean and foolish stories. Give yourself training in religion:

To this end we are toiling and struggling, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers.

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.

don't neglect the gift you have, which was given you with the ministerial charge, when you receiv'd imposition of hands from the presbytery.

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

Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or grand children, let these learn first to shew piety at home,

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.

No widow under sixty years of age should be put on this roll. A widow must have had but one husband,

must have a reputation for doing good deeds, as bringing up children, being hospitable to strangers, washing the feet of God's people, helping people in distress, or devoting herself to any sort of doing good.

But to the younger widows say No: for when their love is turned away from Christ, they have a desire to be married;

which has condemnation because they have disregarded the original pledge.

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 would have the younger women marry, have children, and keep house, so as not to give our opponents any occasion for slander.

For some widows have already turned aside to follow 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.

Let the elders who fill their offices well, be held worthy of twofold honor; especially those who have the task of preaching and teaching.

Those who sin, rebuke in the sight of all, so that the others may also 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.

Those who have Christian masters must not pay them less respect because they are brothers; they must serve them all the better, because those who get the benefit of their service are believers and so are dear to them. These are the things that you must continue to teach and urge them to do.

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, and it is certain we can carry nothing out!

If we have food and clothes we will be satisfied.

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 sorts of evil, and some men in reaching after riches have wandered from the faith and pierced their hearts with many a pang.

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.

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;

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,

by professing which some individuals have failed in the faith. Spiritual blessing be with you all.

[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 have gratitude to God whom I serve from the forefathers in a pure conscience, as I have unceasing remembrance about thee in my supplications, night and day

when I call to mind your affliction, it makes me ardently desire the exceeding pleasure I shall have in seeing you:

I have been reminded of that sincere faith which is in your heart; which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and, I am fully persuaded, dwells in you also.

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],

Of this good news I have been appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.

This is why I am suffering so, but I am not ashamed of it, for I know whom I have trusted and I am absolutely sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

Hold fast the pattern of sound teaching you have heard from me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

You have had news that all those in Asia went away from me; among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes:

(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.

And what thou have heard from me through many witnesses, these things commit thou to faithful men who will be competent to teach others also.

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

The farmer who works hard ought to 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.

This message is to be trusted: "If we indeed have died with Him, we will live with Him too.

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 will have a feeding field like gangrene, of whom are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

who have missed the truth by saying that the resurrection has already taken place, are undermining some people's faith.

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 might recover their senses and escape from the devil's trap in which they have been caught by him to do his 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.

of which they wear the appearance, but disclaim its influence. have no intercourse with such.

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.

But you, on your part, have faithfully followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim, my faith, my patience, my love, my 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 you, on your part, must continue to abide by what you have learned and been led to rely upon, because you know from whom you learned it

and that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures which can give you wisdom that leads to salvation through the faith that leans on Christ Jesus.

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 a time will come when they will not listen to wholesome teaching, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will heap up for themselves teachers upon teachers to satisfy their own fancies.

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

I have fought the fight for the good, I have run my race, I have kept faith.

Now the crown for doing right awaits me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day, and not only me but also all who 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 I have sent Tychicus off 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 at the proper time made known as His message through the message that I preach with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Saviour;

[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 left you behind in Crete expressly to correct what defects there were, and to appoint elders in each town, as I directed you??6 men of irreproachable character, who have been married only once, whose children are Christians, free from any suspicion of profligacy or disobedience.

each elder must be above reproach, have only one wife, and his children must not be liable to the charge of profligacy or disobedience.

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].

By whom some families have been completely overturned; who take money for teaching things which are not right; these will have to be stopped.

and that statement is true. Therefore correct them rigorously, to make them have a healthy 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.