1 Timothy

Chapter 1

¹ {I,} Paul, {write this letter to you.} God is the one who rescues us, and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, is the one whom we confidently expect. The two of them ordered me to represent the Messiah, Jesus.

² {I send this letter} to you, Timothy.

You have become like my own son because we both trust in {Jesus}. {May} God the Father and the Messiah, Jesus our Lord, {continue to be} kind and merciful to you and {make you} peaceful.

³ As I asked you when I was traveling to the province of Macedonia, {I ask you again} to stay in the city of Ephesus. That way, you can prohibit certain people there from teaching things that are different {from what is true}. ⁴ {I want you to tell them} to stop focusing on legends and very long lists of ancestors. Those things cause people to argue with each other. They do not help to accomplish God’s plan. That happens when we trust in {Jesus}. ⁵ I want you to require those things so that people will love {each other}. {They will do that} while they desire only what is good, while they know that they are doing what is right, and while they genuinely trust in {Jesus}. ⁶ However, some people have failed to do those things. Instead, they speak about things that do not matter. ⁷ Those people desire to be people who teach the {Jewish} law. However, they do not understand what they talk about or what they confidently affirm.

⁸ We {believers} understand that the {Jewish} law is excellent as long as people use it properly. ⁹ Indeed, we {believers} realize that God did not establish the {Jewish} law for people who do what is right. Rather, {he established the Jewish law} for people who do what is wrong and do not obey anyone. They do not honor God, and they sin. They do things that defile themselves, and they do not set themselves apart for God. They murder their parents. They murder other people. ¹⁰ They act in sexually improper ways. They have sex with people of the same gender. They sell other people as slaves. They lie even when they solemnly promise to say what is true. When people teach them what is right, they always do the opposite. ¹¹ {When people teach what is right,} it fits with the good news, which shows how great is the God whom we praise. That is the good news that God has told me {to proclaim to people}.

¹² I thank the Messiah, Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me {to proclaim the good news}. {I thank him} because he decided that he could trust me, so he appointed me to serve {him}. ¹³ {Jesus did that} even though I used to insult him, harm his people, and act violently. However, I did not understand what I was doing when I did not trust in {Jesus}. So, Jesus acted mercifully to me. ¹⁴ Our Lord {Jesus} acted extremely kindly to me. By uniting me to himself, the Messiah Jesus, he enabled me to believe in him and to love people.

¹⁵ Everyone should trust and rely on this statement: “The Messiah, Jesus, was here on earth to rescue sinful people.” {As for me,} I am more sinful than everyone else. ¹⁶ However, that is why Jesus acted mercifully to me. That way, Jesus the Messiah could show how very patient he is by how he treated me, the most sinful person. He wanted to illustrate {his character} for people who are going to trust in him so that they live with God forever. ¹⁷ God is always ruling. He will never die, and no one can see him. There are no other gods. So, let us praise and glorify him forever! May it be so!

¹⁸ Timothy, you are like my son. I have told you to do certain things because they fit with what people previously prophesied about you. {I have told you to do those things} so that, as those people prophesied, you will serve God well, as a soldier obeys a commanding officer. ¹⁹ {You can do that} by trusting in {Jesus} and by knowing that you are doing what is right. Some people have stopped doing that, and now they no longer trust in {Jesus}. ²⁰ Among those who have done that are Hymenaeus and Alexander. I have expelled them so that Satan rules over them. That way, they will learn not to insult God.

Chapter 2

¹ So then, I ask {believers} to focus especially on praying for all people. {Believers} should be thankful for these people and ask God to act kindly to them. ² {They should pray particularly} for kings and for everyone who rules {over other people}. That way, we {believers} can live calmly and peacefully, and we can honor God and act in ways that others respect. ³ It is right {to pray like that}, and it pleases God. He is the one who rescues us. ⁴ God wants to rescue all people. He wants everyone to understand what is true. ⁵ {You can tell that God wants those things to happen} because God is the only God. Further, the Messiah Jesus is the only one who reconciles God and humans. He is human himself. ⁶ He chose to die so that he could free all people {from their sins}. That is what believers testify to during this time when it is right to do so. ⁷ It was to testify in that way that Jesus appointed me to speak for him and to represent him. {Jesus also appointed me} to instruct non-Jewish people about what is true and about what to believe. As surely as God has united me to the Messiah, I am not telling you what is false, but what is true!

⁸ Next, wherever {you worship God}, here is how I desire men to pray: They should not be angry or quarreling {with each other}. Instead, they should pray in a way that honors God. ⁹ Similarly, {when you worship God, here is how I desire} women to dress: They should be modest and control themselves by wearing appropriate clothing. They should not wear elaborate hairstyles, golden {jewelry}, pearls, or clothes that cost much money. ¹⁰ Instead, {they should focus on} doing what is right. That is appropriate for women who claim to honor God.

¹¹ Women should learn unobtrusively. They should always honor and obey {the people who lead their group of believers}. ¹² Further, I do not allow women to teach or to rule men. Instead, they should behave unobtrusively. ¹³ {What you can read in the Scriptures supports what I have commanded,} since God made {the first man} Adam before {he made the first woman} Eve. ¹⁴ Further, the talking snake did not convince Adam to do what was wrong. Rather, the talking snake convinced the woman, Eve, to do what was wrong. So, she disobeyed what God had commanded. ¹⁵ However, God would eventually rescue Eve {by sending the Messiah} through women having children. {Along with her, God will save other women} as long as they continue to trust in {Jesus}, love other people, act as those who belong to God, and control themselves.

Chapter 3

¹ Everyone should trust this statement: “People who want to lead the rest of God’s people are seeking to do something that is good.” ² Because {doing that is good}, those who lead the rest of God’s people must be those whom no one can rightly accuse of doing anything wrong. They must be sexually faithful to their wives. They must not do everything that they desire. They must control themselves. They must act in appropriate ways. They must welcome guests into their homes. They must be good at teaching others. ³ They must not be alcoholics. They must not like to fight and argue. Rather, they must treat others kindly. They must avoid fighting. They must not desire to have more money. ⁴ They must direct their own families rightly. Their children must honor and obey them and always act in ways that others respect. ⁵ After all, people who cannot direct their own families will not be able to care properly for any group of believers belonging to God. ⁶ They must not have only recently trusted in {Jesus}. Otherwise, they might become prideful. Then, God would punish them as he punished Satan. ⁷ Further, those who lead the rest of God’s people must be those about whom nonbelievers say good things. That way, people do not insult them and Satan will not be able to control them.

⁸ Similarly, those who serve the rest of God’s people must be those whom others respect. They must consistently speak what is true. They must not drink too much alcohol. They must not want more than they need. ⁹ They should know that they are doing what is right as they remain faithful to what God has revealed, which is the good news that we trust. ¹⁰ Further, the group of believers must also evaluate how they behave. After that, as long as they consistently do what is right, they can serve the rest of God’s people.

¹¹ Similarly, the women {who serve the rest of God’s people} must be those whom others respect. They must not say mean or false things about other people. They must not do everything that they desire. They must always act faithfully.

¹² The {men} who serve the rest of God’s people must be sexually faithful to their wives. They must direct their own families, especially their children, rightly. ¹³ {They should act in all those ways} because those who serve the rest of God’s people rightly will be people whom other believers honor. Also, they will very boldly trust in the Messiah, Jesus.

¹⁴ I plan to visit you soon. However, I am sending this letter to you now. ¹⁵ That way, even if I cannot visit you soon, you will understand how people who are like God’s own family should act. I am speaking about the group of all believers who belong to the only real God. {These believers} preserve and testify to what is true. ¹⁶ Everyone must agree that what God has revealed that enables us to honor him is marvelous:

     “People saw the Messiah as a human.

     The Holy Spirit declared that he was who he claimed to be.

     Angels saw him.

     Believers proclaimed who he was to non-Jewish people.

     People in many places trusted in him.

     God brought him up {into heaven} in a glorious way.”

Chapter 4

¹ The Holy Spirit has declared clearly that some people will stop believing in {Jesus} when this time period is about to end. Instead, they will focus on evil spirits who convince people to believe what is wrong. They will focus on what demons teach. ² {They focus on those things} because they listen to people who pretend to teach what is true but who actually teach what is false. These teachers refuse to accept that what they are doing is wrong. ³ They command people not to marry others. {They command people} not to eat certain kinds of food. However, God made those foods so that people would thank him for them and eat them. {He made those foods} for people who trust in {Jesus} and who understand what is true. ⁴ {I say that} because everything that God made is good. People can eat any {kind of food} as long as they thank God for it. ⁵ {That is} because what God has said and what people pray makes the food holy.

⁶ When you instruct your fellow believers about those things, you will be serving the Messiah, Jesus, well. You will become spiritually stronger because of the good news that you have believed, which includes the correct teachings that you have accepted. ⁷ You should refuse to listen to silly legends that have nothing to do with God. Instead, you should work hard to honor God. ⁸ Here is what I mean: working hard to make your body stronger is helpful for a little while. However, working hard to honor God is helpful at all times. When you do that, you can confidently expect to live {with God} both now and also when God makes you alive again. ⁹ Everyone should trust and rely on this statement, ¹⁰ since it is why we work so hard: “We confidently expect that the only real God {will do what he has promised}. He is the one who rescues all people, but particularly those who trust in {Jesus}.”

¹¹ Instruct people about {what I have told you}. Require them to do those things. ¹² Do not allow anyone to consider you to be unimportant because you are young. Instead, show other believers how to live. Show them that by how you speak, how you behave, how you love others, how you trust in {Jesus}, and how you avoid what is evil. ¹³ While I am not with you, be sure to continue reading {the Scriptures to the believers when you meet together}, instructing {the believers}, and urging {them to do what is right}. ¹⁴ Be sure to do what God has graciously enabled you to do. God enabled you to do that when someone spoke to you for God and the leaders of the group of believers touched you.

¹⁵ Consistently do what I have told you {to do}! Focus on those things. That way, everyone will notice that you are {serving Jesus} better. ¹⁶ Make sure that you {behave properly} and that what you teach {is right}. As long as you do what I have told you {to do}, you will rescue yourself and anyone who listens to you. So, keep doing what I have told you {to do}.

Chapter 5

¹ Do not scold a man who is older than you are. Instead, speak to him as if he were your father. Speak to men who are younger than you are as if they were your brothers. ² Speak to women who are older than you are as if each one were your mother. Speak to women who are younger than you are as if they were your sisters. {When you do that,} avoid everything that might be improper.

³ As for women whose husbands have died, treat them respectfully {by taking care of them}. {I am speaking of} women who have no close relatives and whose husbands have died. ⁴ However, suppose that women whose husbands have died have children or grandchildren. In that case, those children or grandchildren should, most importantly, practice honoring their own family members {by taking care of them}. {In that way,} they will do for their parents and grandparents what their parents and grandparents did for them. That pleases God. ⁵ Women who have no close relatives and whose husbands have died confidently expect that God {will help them}. They persistently pray {to God} all day long. ⁶ On the other hand, some women whose husbands have died do whatever they want to do. These women are like dead people even though they are alive. ⁷ Require {the believers there} to do what I have just written. That way, no one can rightly accuse them of doing anything wrong. ⁸ Suppose that believers do not take care of their relatives, particularly their close family members. Those people show that they do not really trust in {Jesus}. They have sinned more than people who never trusted in {Jesus}.

⁹ When you add a woman whose husband has died to the list {of women that the group of believers will take care of}, here is what she must be like. She must be at least 60 years old. She must have been sexually faithful to her husband. ¹⁰ People must say that she does what is right. For example, she might have brought up children. She might have welcomed people from a different place. She might have cleaned the dirty feet of God’s people. She might have helped people who were suffering. In general, she must have persisted in always doing what is good.

¹¹ However, do not add women whose husbands have died and who are still young {to the list of women that the group of believers will take care of}. These women may choose to do whatever they want instead of doing what the Messiah wants. {So that they can do whatever they want,} they will desire to marry {even an unbeliever}. ¹² So, they have ceased to trust in {Jesus} as they used to do. Therefore, God will punish them. ¹³ In addition to that, these women may also practice avoiding work. Instead, they may visit one person’s home after another. In addition to avoiding work, they may also talk too much and interfere with what others are doing. They may talk about things that they should not talk about. ¹⁴ Because of all that, I recommend that women {whose husbands have died and} who are still young should marry again. They should have children. They should direct their own families. They should act in such a way that Satan cannot insult any believers. ¹⁵ {I have written those things} because some {women whose husbands have died and who are still young} are already doing what Satan wants {instead of what God wants}.

¹⁶ Suppose that a woman who trusts in {Jesus} has in her family some women whose husbands have died. She should be the one who helps them. That way, the group of believers will not have to provide for too many women whose husbands have died. Then, the group of believers will be able to help women who have no close relatives and whose husbands have died.

¹⁷ The leaders who rightly direct {believers} deserve to have those believers respect them and take care of them. The leaders who work hard to proclaim {the good news} and instruct others about it particularly deserve that. ¹⁸ {You know that this is right} because {Moses wrote} in the Scriptures: “You should not keep an ox from eating the grain when it is helping you separate grain from chaff.” Further, {Jesus said,} “Workers deserve to have people pay them for their work.” ¹⁹ When someone claims that a leader has done something wrong, you should only listen if {at least} two or three people say the same thing about that leader. ²⁰ When any leaders have sinned, you should confront them {with what they have done} in front of everyone. That way, the other leaders will be afraid {to sin} too. ²¹ I want you to have God, the Messiah Jesus, and the angels whom God has selected guarantee that you will do what I have instructed you to do. {You should do those things} fairly, without favoring one person over another.

²² You should not too quickly touch people {to appoint them as leaders}. When they sin, you should not approve of it. You should avoid what is evil.

²³ You should not drink only water. Instead, you should have a small amount of wine. It will make your stomach feel better and reduce how often you are sick.

²⁴ When some people sin, everyone knows about it before God punishes them. However, when other people sin, everyone knows about it only after {God punishes them}. ²⁵ In the same way, when people do what is right, everyone knows about it. Even when people do not seem to know about it, eventually everyone will know about it.

Chapter 6

¹ All {believers} who are slaves should treat their masters as people whom they should respect in every way. That way, no one will insult God or what we teach. ² {Some believers who are} slaves have masters who trust in {Jesus}. Those slaves should not disrespect their masters because they are fellow believers. Instead, since the masters for whom they do what is good are people who trust in {Jesus} and whom God loves, those slaves should work for their masters. Instruct people about those things and tell them to do them.

³ Some people teach things that are different {from what is true}. They do not accept the right message that comes from our Lord Jesus the Messiah. They do not accept what we teach that enables people to honor God. ⁴ These people are prideful. They know very little, but they obsess over resolving controversial issues and debating what words mean. When people act in that way, they become jealous of others. They fight with each other. They insult each other. They act in evil ways by suspecting others. ⁵ They frequently irritate each other. These are people who can no longer think properly. They cannot learn what is true. They think that honoring God is a good way to acquire money.

⁶ However, we do acquire something valuable when we honor God while we are grateful for whatever we have. ⁷ {We should focus on acquiring things besides money} because we owned nothing when our mothers gave birth to us. Indeed, we will no longer own anything when we die. ⁸ So, we should be content as long as we can eat and have clothes to wear. ⁹ As for people who desire to become wealthy, they often think about sinning. They cannot stop what they are doing. The things that they want are senseless and bad for them, and they will eventually destroy these people. ¹⁰ {That is} because people do all sorts of evil things when they strongly desire to have money. When some people started desiring money, they stopped trusting in {Jesus}. By doing that, they have made themselves sorrowful in many ways.

¹¹ However, you are a man who serves God. You must avoid those {evil} things. Instead, you should always try to do what is right. You should honor God. You should trust in {Jesus}. You should love {others}. You should persevere {when difficult things happen to you}. You should be gentle {with people}. ¹² You should persist in trusting in {Jesus} just as soldiers battle their enemies. You should make sure that you will live with God forever. God chose you for that. Also, that is why you claimed that you trusted in Jesus while many people listened to you. ¹³ God is the one who enables everything that exists to live. The Messiah Jesus is the one who declared what was true when he was on trial before Pontius Pilate. They authorize what I am about to tell you to do. ¹⁴ You must obey what God has commanded. You should obey completely. No one should be able to rightly accuse you of doing anything wrong. Continue to obey until our Lord Jesus the Messiah returns {to this world}. ¹⁵ God will cause Jesus to return at the right time. We praise God! There are no rulers more powerful than he is. He is king over all other kings. He is lord over all other lords. ¹⁶ God is the only one who can never die. His place {in heaven} is so bright that no one can go near it! No human has looked at him, and no human can look at him. Let us praise him and acknowledge that he is powerful forever! May it be so!

¹⁷ You should tell believers who are wealthy right now that they should not think too highly of themselves. They should not trust in all the things that they have, because they cannot be certain how long they will have them. Instead, they should trust in God. He is the one who abundantly gives us everything that we have so that we can enjoy it. ¹⁸ {Tell those wealthy believers that} they should do very many good things. They should be ready to give away {what they have}. ¹⁹ {If they do those things,} they will establish the good things that they will have when God renews this world. {When they do those things,} they make sure that they will truly live {with God}.

²⁰ Timothy, carefully preserve the true message that God has given to you. Refuse to listen when people say things that mean nothing and that have nothing to do with God. Do not pay attention when people argue against the good news, using what they claim is true. It is not really true. ²¹ The people who claim those things have failed to persist in trusting in {Jesus}.

{I pray that God will} be kind to you all.