1 Timothy
Chapter 1
Overview
This chapter opens a personal letter from Paul to Timothy, his trusted student in their shared faith. Paul has gone to Macedonia and asked Timothy to remain in Ephesus, where some teachers are getting lost in speculative stories and arguments about ancestry. Paul redirects attention to the purpose of sound teaching: love formed by a clean heart, a clear conscience, and sincere trust in God. He then reflects honestly on his own violent past and the mercy he received through Jesus. The chapter closes by urging Timothy to remain faithful and resist teachings that can wreck a life like a ship on rocks.
1From Paul, a representative sent by Jesus the Messiah, God’s chosen king. I was appointed by the command of God, who saves us, and of Jesus the Messiah, who is our hope.
2To Timothy, my true child because we share the same faith. May God our Father and Jesus the Messiah our Lord give you generous kindness, mercy, and peace.
3As I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia, stay in Ephesus. Instruct certain people not to teach different doctrines.
4Tell them not to devote themselves to myths and endless lists of ancestors. Such things produce useless speculation instead of advancing God’s work, which is carried forward through faith.
5The purpose of this instruction is love that comes from a clean heart, a clear conscience, and sincere faith.
6Some people have missed these aims and wandered into empty talk.
7They want to be teachers of God’s law, but they do not understand either what they are saying or the subjects they speak about so confidently.
8We know that the law is good when someone uses it properly.
9We also know that law is not put in place for people who do what is right, but for those who reject law and refuse to obey; those who disregard God and do wrong; those who have no respect for what is sacred and treat it with contempt; those who kill their fathers or mothers; and other murderers.
10It is also for people who practice sexual immorality, men who have sex with men, people who kidnap others to sell them as slaves, liars, people who lie under oath, and anyone else whose conduct opposes teaching that is morally and spiritually healthy.
11This understanding agrees with the glorious good news from the God who has perfect joy—the good news entrusted to me.
12I thank Jesus the Messiah our Lord, who gave me strength. He judged me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him,
13even though I had once spoken contemptuously of him, persecuted others, and treated them violently. Yet I received mercy because I acted in ignorance, when I did not believe.
14Our Lord poured out his generous kindness on me beyond measure, together with the faith and love that come from being united with Jesus the Messiah.
15This statement is completely trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Jesus the Messiah came into the world to save people who have done wrong against God—and I am the worst of them.
16But this is why I received mercy: through me, the worst offender, Jesus the Messiah could display his unlimited patience. I would become an example for those who would later trust in him and receive life with God that never ends.
17To the eternal King—the immortal, invisible, only God—be honor and glory forever and ever. May it be so.
18Timothy, my child, I am entrusting this instruction to you in keeping with the messages from God that were spoken earlier about you. Let those messages guide you as you fight this good battle.
19Keep trusting God and maintain a clear conscience. Some people have rejected a clear conscience and have wrecked their faith like a ship.
20Hymenaeus and Alexander are among them. I have handed them over to Satan, God’s spiritual enemy, so that through discipline they may learn not to speak contemptuously of God.