Paul’s 1st Epistle to Timothy

Chapter One ¶ PAUL, an apostle of ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩ by com­mand­ment of ⟨God⟩ our Saviour, and ⟨Lord⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩ which is our hope; Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from ⟨God⟩ our Father and ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩ our ⟨Lord⟩. As I besought thee to abide still at Eph′-e-sus, when I went into Mac-e-do′-ni-a, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; under­standing neither what they say, nor where­of they affirm. 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 whoremongers, for them that defile them­selves with man­kind, for men­stealers, for liars, for per­jured per­sons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; According to the glorious gospel of the blessed ⟨God⟩, which was committed to my trust. And I thank ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩ our ⟨Lord⟩, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faith­ful, put­ting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a per­se­cu­tor, and in­juri­ous: but I ob­tained mer­cy, be­cause I did it ig­nor­antly in unbelief. And the grace of our ⟨Lord⟩ was ex­ceed­ing abun­dant with faith and love which is in ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩ This is a faithful saying, and wor­thy of all accep­ta­tion, that ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩ came into the world to save sin­ners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩ might shew forth all long­suf­fer­ing, for a pat­tern to them which should here­after be­lieve on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise ⟨God⟩, be honour and glory for ever and ever. A-men′. This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, ac­cord­ing to the pro­phe­cies which went before on thee, that thou by them might­est war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good con­science; which some hav­ing put away con­cern­ing faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hy-me-mæ′-us and Alexander; whom I have de­liv­ered unto Satan, they they may learn not to blaspheme. Chapter Two ¶ I EXHORT therefore, that, first of all, suppli­cations, prayers, inter­cessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in au­thor­ity; they we may lead a quiet and peace­able life in all god­li­ness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of ⟨God⟩ our Saviour; 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⟩; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testi­fied in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in ⟨Christ⟩, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. I will therefore that men pray every where, lift­ing up holy hands, with­out wrath and doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn them­selves in mod­est ap­par­el, with shame­faced­ness and sob riety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array. But (which becometh women pro­fess­ing god­li­ness) with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp au­thor­ity over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the wo­man being de­ceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in child­bear­ing, if they con­tinue in faith and charity and holi­ness with sobriety. Chapter Three ¶THIS is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blame­less, the hus­band of one wife, vig­i­lant, sober, of good be­hav­iour, given to hos­pi­ta­lity, apt to teach; Not given to wind, no striker, not greedy of fil­thy lu­cre; but pa­tient, not a brawl­er, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, hav­ing his chil­dren in sub­jec­tion with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of ⟨God⟩?) Not a novice, lest be­ing lifted up with pride he fall into the con­dem­na­tion of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are with­out; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double­tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slan­der­ers, sober, faith­ful in all things. Let the deacons be the hus­bands of one wife, ruling their chil­dren and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well pur­chase to them­selves a good de­gree, and in great bold­ness in the faith which is in ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩. These things write I unto thee, hop ing to come unto thee shortly: Bit if I tarry long, that thou mayest know h ow thou ought­est to be­have thy­self in the house of ⟨God⟩, the pillar and ground of the truth. And without controversy great is the mys­tery of god­li­ness: ⟨God⟩ was mani­fest in the flesh, justi­fied in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, be­lieved on in the world, re­ceived up into glory. Chapter Four ¶ NOW the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the lat­ter times some shall de­part from the faith, giv­ing heed to se­duc­ing spirits, and doc­trines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; hav­ing their con­science seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and com­mand­ing to ab­stain from meats, which ⟨God⟩ hath created to be re­ceived with thanks­giving of them which be­lieve and know the truth. For every creature of ⟨God⟩ is good, and noth­ing to be re­fused, if it be re­ceived with thanksgiving: Fot it is sanc­ti­fied by the word of ⟨God⟩ and prayer. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good min­is­ter of ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩, nour­ished up in the words of faith and of good doc­trine, where­unto thou hast attained.

But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exer­cise thy­self rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but god­li­ness is profit­able unto all things, hav­ing prom­ise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faith­ful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 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. These things command and teach. 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. Till I come, give attendance to read­ing, to ex­hor­ta­tion, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by pro­phecy, with the lay­ing on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profit­ing may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thy­self, and them that hear thee. Chapter Five ¶ REBUKE not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sis­ters, with all purity. Honour widows that are widows indeed. 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⟩. Now she that is a widow indeed, and des­o­late, trust­eth in ⟨God⟩, and con­tin­ueth in sup­pli­ca­tions and pray­ers night and day. But she that liveth in pleas­ure is dead while she liveth. And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any provide not for his own, and spe­cially for those of his own house, he hath de­nied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Let not a widow be taken into the num­ber under three­score years old, hav­ing been the wife of one man, Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up chil­dren, if she have lodged strang­ers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have re­lieved the af­flict­ed, if she have dili­gently fol­lowed every good work. But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against ⟨Christ⟩, they will marry; Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. And withal they learn to be idle, wan­der­ing about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers and busy­bodies, speak­ing things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear child­ren, guide the house, give none oc­ca­sion to the ad­ver­sary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after 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 that rule well be counted wor­thy of dou­ble hon­our, es­pe­cially they who la­bour in the word and doctrine, For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that tread­eth out the corn. And, The la­bour­er is worthy of his reward. Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. I charge thee before ⟨God⟩, and the ⟨Lord⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩, and the elect angels, that thou ob­serve these things without prefer­ring one before an­other, do­ing noth­ing by partiality. Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure. Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stom­ach’s sake and thine often infirmities. Some men’s sins are open be­fore­hand, going be­fore to judg­ment; and some men they follow after. Likewise also the good works of some are man­i­fest be­fore­hand; and they that are other­wise can­not be hid. Chapter Six ¶ LET as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of ⟨God⟩ and his doc­trine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not de­spise them, be­cause they are breth­ren; but rather do them service, be­cause they are faith­ful and be­loved, par­takers of the ben­e­fit. These things teach and exhort. 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 dot­ing about ques­tions and strifes of words, where­of com­eth envy, strife, rail­ings, evil surmising, Perverse disputings of men of cor­rupt minds, and des­ti­tute of the truth, sup­pos­ing that gain is god­liness: from such with­draw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is cer­tain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be there­with content. 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. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, where­unto thou art also called, and hast pro­fessed a good pro­fession be­fore many witnesses. I give thee charge in the sight of ⟨God⟩, who quick­en­eth all things, and before ⟨Christ⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩, who before Pon′-tius Pilate wit­nessed a good confession; That thou keep this com­mand­ment without spot, un­re­buke­able, un­til the ap­pear­ing of our ⟨Lord⟩ ⟨Jesus⟩ ⟨Christ⟩: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Po­ten­tate, the King of kings, and ⟨Lord⟩ of lords; 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. A-men′. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high­mind­ed, nor trust in un­cer­tain riches, but in the liv­ing ⟨God⟩, who giv­eth us rich­ly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, willing to dis­trib­ute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for them­selves a good foun­da­tion against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoid­ing pro­fane and vain bab­blings, and op­po­si­tions of science falsely so called. Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. A-men′.

“Line upon line, precept upon precept”…
for knowledge shall cease and wisdom fail,
but understanding remains (if gained from the former).