False Teachers (1TI 4:1-5)

[4:1] The Spirit says clearly that some people will abandon the faith in later times; they will obey lying spirits and follow the teachings of demons.

[4:2] Such teachings are spread by deceitful liars, whose consciences are dead, as if burnt with a hot iron.

[4:3] Such people teach that it is wrong to marry and to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten, after a prayer of thanks, by those who are believers and have come to know the truth.

[4:4] Everything that God has created is good; nothing is to be rejected, but everything is to be received with a prayer of thanks,

[4:5] because the word of God and the prayer make it acceptable to God.

A Good Servant of Christ Jesus (1TI 4:6-16)

[4:6] If you give these instructions to the believers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, as you feed yourself spiritually on the words of faith and of the true teaching which you have followed.

[4:7] But keep away from those godless legends, which are not worth telling. Keep yourself in training for a godly life.

[4:8] Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future.

[4:9] This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed.

[4:10] We struggle and work hard, because we have placed our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all and especially of those who believe.

[4:11] Give them these instructions and these teachings.

[4:12] Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith, and purity.

[4:13] Until I come, give your time and effort to the public reading of the Scriptures and to preaching and teaching.

[4:14] Do not neglect the spiritual gift that is in you, which was given to you when the prophets spoke and the elders laid their hands on you.

[4:15] Practice these things and devote yourself to them, in order that your progress may be seen by all.

[4:16] Watch yourself and watch your teaching. Keep on doing these things, because if you do, you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

Responsibilities toward Believers (1TI 5:1-6:2)

[5:1] Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat the younger men as your brothers,

[5:2] the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, with all purity.

[5:3] Show respect for widows who really are all alone.

[5:4] But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should learn first to carry out their religious duties toward their own family and in this way repay their parents and grandparents, because that is what pleases God.

[5:5] A widow who is all alone, with no one to take care of her, has placed her hope in God and continues to pray and ask him for his help night and day.

[5:6] But a widow who gives herself to pleasure has already died, even though she lives.

[5:7] Give them these instructions, so that no one will find fault with them.

[5:8] But if any do not take care of their relatives, especially the members of their own family, they have denied the faith and are worse than an unbeliever.

[5:9] Do not add any widow to the list of widows unless she is over sixty years of age. In addition, she must have been married only once

[5:10] and have a reputation for good deeds: a woman who brought up her children well, received strangers in her home, performed humble duties for other Christians, helped people in trouble, and devoted herself to doing good.

[5:11] But do not include younger widows in the list; because when their desires make them want to marry, they turn away from Christ,

[5:12] and so become guilty of breaking their earlier promise to him.

[5:13] They also learn to waste their time in going around from house to house; but even worse, they learn to be gossips and busybodies, talking of things they should not.

[5:14] So I would prefer that the younger widows get married, have children, and take care of their homes, so as to give our enemies no chance of speaking evil of us.

[5:15] For some widows have already turned away to follow Satan.

[5:16] But if any Christian woman has widows in her family, she must take care of them and not put the burden on the church, so that it may take care of the widows who are all alone.

[5:17] The elders who do good work as leaders should be considered worthy of receiving double pay, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

[5:18] For the scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox when you are using it to thresh grain” and “Workers should be given their pay.”

[5:19] Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or more witnesses.

[5:20] Rebuke publicly all those who commit sins, so that the rest may be afraid.

[5:21] In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the holy angels I solemnly call upon you to obey these instructions without showing any prejudice or favor to anyone in anything you do.

[5:22] Be in no hurry to lay hands on people to dedicate them to the Lord's service. Take no part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

[5:23] Do not drink water only, but take a little wine to help your digestion, since you are sick so often.

[5:24] The sins of some people are plain to see, and their sins go ahead of them to judgment; but the sins of others are seen only later.

[5:25] In the same way good deeds are plainly seen, and even those that are not so plain cannot be hidden.

[6:1] Those who are slaves must consider their masters worthy of all respect, so that no one will speak evil of the name of God and of our teaching.

[6:2] Slaves belonging to Christian masters must not despise them, for they are believers too. Instead, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their work are believers whom they love.

False Teaching and True Riches (1TI 6:2-10)

[6:2] You must teach and preach these things.

[6:3] Whoever teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching of our religion

[6:4] is swollen with pride and knows nothing. He has an unhealthy desire to argue and quarrel about words, and this brings on jealousy, disputes, insults, evil suspicions,

[6:5] and constant arguments from people whose minds do not function and who no longer have the truth. They think that religion is a way to become rich.

[6:6] Well, religion does make us very rich, if we are satisfied with what we have.

[6:7] What did we bring into the world? Nothing! What can we take out of the world? Nothing!

[6:8] So then, if we have food and clothes, that should be enough for us.

[6:9] But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and are caught in the trap of many foolish and harmful desires, which pull them down to ruin and destruction.

[6:10] For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.

Personal Instructions (1TI 6:11-21)

[6:11] But you, man of God, avoid all these things. Strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.

[6:12] Run your best in the race of faith, and win eternal life for yourself; for it was to this life that God called you when you firmly professed your faith before many witnesses.

[6:13] Before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who firmly professed his faith before Pontius Pilate, I command you

[6:14] to obey your orders and keep them faithfully until the Day when our Lord Jesus Christ will appear.

[6:15] His appearing will be brought about at the right time by God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

[6:16] He alone is immortal; he lives in the light that no one can approach. No one has ever seen him; no one can ever see him. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.

[6:17] Command those who are rich in the things of this life not to be proud, but to place their hope, not in such an uncertain thing as riches, but in God, who generously gives us everything for our enjoyment.

[6:18] Command them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share with others.

[6:19] In this way they will store up for themselves a treasure which will be a solid foundation for the future. And then they will be able to win the life which is true life.

[6:20] Timothy, keep safe what has been entrusted to your care. Avoid the profane talk and foolish arguments of what some people wrongly call “Knowledge.”

[6:21] For some have claimed to possess it, and as a result they have lost the way of faith. God's grace be with you all.

Thanksgiving and Encouragement (2TI 1:3-18)

[1:3] I give thanks to God, whom I serve with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did. I thank him as I remember you always in my prayers night and day.

[1:4] I remember your tears, and I want to see you very much, so that I may be filled with joy.

[1:5] I remember the sincere faith you have, the kind of faith that your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice also had. I am sure that you have it also.

[1:6] For this reason I remind you to keep alive the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you.

[1:7] For the Spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, his Spirit fills us with power, love, and self-control.

[1:8] Do not be ashamed, then, of witnessing for our Lord; neither be ashamed of me, a prisoner for Christ's sake. Instead, take your part in suffering for the Good News, as God gives you the strength for it.

[1:9] He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace. He gave us this grace by means of Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

[1:10] but now it has been revealed to us through the coming of our Savior, Christ Jesus. He has ended the power of death and through the gospel has revealed immortal life.

[1:11] God has appointed me as an apostle and teacher to proclaim the Good News,

[1:12] and it is for this reason that I suffer these things. But I am still full of confidence, because I know whom I have trusted, and I am sure that he is able to keep safe until that Day what he has entrusted to me.

[1:13] Hold firmly to the true words that I taught you, as the example for you to follow, and remain in the faith and love that are ours in union with Christ Jesus.

[1:14] Through the power of the Holy Spirit, who lives in us, keep the good things that have been entrusted to you.

[1:15] You know that everyone in the province of Asia, including Phygelus and Hermogenes, has deserted me.

[1:16] May the Lord show mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he cheered me up many times. He was not ashamed that I am in prison,

[1:17] but as soon as he arrived in Rome, he started looking for me until he found me.

[1:18] May the Lord grant him his mercy on that Day! And you know very well how much he did for me in Ephesus.

A Loyal Soldier of Christ Jesus (2TI 2:1-13)

[2:1] As for you, my son, be strong through the grace that is ours in union with Christ Jesus.

[2:2] Take the teachings that you heard me proclaim in the presence of many witnesses, and entrust them to reliable people, who will be able to teach others also.

[2:3] Take your part in suffering, as a loyal soldier of Christ Jesus.

[2:4] A soldier on active duty wants to please his commanding officer and so does not get mixed up in the affairs of civilian life.

[2:5] An athlete who runs in a race cannot win the prize unless he obeys the rules.

[2:6] The farmer who has done the hard work should have the first share of the harvest.

[2:7] Think about what I am saying, because the Lord will enable you to understand it all.

[2:8] Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from death, who was a descendant of David, as is taught in the Good News I preach.

[2:9] Because I preach the Good News, I suffer and I am even chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not in chains,

[2:10] and so I endure everything for the sake of God's chosen people, in order that they too may obtain the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus and brings eternal glory.

[2:11] This is a true saying: “If we have died with him, we shall also live with him.

[2:12] If we continue to endure, we shall also rule with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.

[2:13] If we are not faithful, he remains faithful, because he cannot be false to himself.”

An Approved Worker (2TI 2:14-26)

[2:14] Remind your people of this, and give them a solemn warning in God's presence not to fight over words. It does no good, but only ruins the people who listen.

[2:15] Do your best to win full approval in God's sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God's truth.

[2:16] Keep away from profane and foolish discussions, which only drive people farther away from God.

[2:17] Such teaching is like an open sore that eats away the flesh. Two men who have taught such things are Hymenaeus and Philetus.

[2:18] They have left the way of truth and are upsetting the faith of some believers by saying that our resurrection has already taken place.

[2:19] But the solid foundation that God has laid cannot be shaken; and on it are written these words: “The Lord knows those who are his” and “Those who say that they belong to the Lord must turn away from wrongdoing.”

[2:20] In a large house there are dishes and bowls of all kinds: some are made of silver and gold, others of wood and clay; some are for special occasions, others for ordinary use.

[2:21] Those who make themselves clean from all those evil things, will be used for special purposes, because they are dedicated and useful to their Master, ready to be used for every good deed.

[2:22] Avoid the passions of youth, and strive for righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who with a pure heart call out to the Lord for help.

[2:23] But keep away from foolish and ignorant arguments; you know that they end up in quarrels.

[2:24] As the Lord's servant, you must not quarrel. You must be kind toward all, a good and patient teacher,

[2:25] who is gentle as you correct your opponents, for it may be that God will give them the opportunity to repent and come to know the truth.

[2:26] And then they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the Devil, who had caught them and made them obey his will.

The Last Days (2TI 3:1-9)

[3:1] Remember that there will be difficult times in the last days.

[3:2] People will be selfish, greedy, boastful, and conceited; they will be insulting, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, and irreligious;

[3:3] they will be unkind, merciless, slanderers, violent, and fierce; they will hate the good;

[3:4] they will be treacherous, reckless, and swollen with pride; they will love pleasure rather than God;

[3:5] they will hold to the outward form of our religion, but reject its real power. Keep away from such people.

[3:6] Some of them go into people's houses and gain control over weak women who are burdened by the guilt of their sins and driven by all kinds of desires,

[3:7] women who are always trying to learn but who can never come to know the truth.

[3:8] As Jannes and Jambres were opposed to Moses, so also these people are opposed to the truth—people whose minds do not function and who are failures in the faith.

[3:9] But they will not get very far, because everyone will see how stupid they are. That is just what happened to Jannes and Jambres.