Warning Against False Teachers
3 fAs I urged you gwhen I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to hteach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to imyths and endless jgenealogies, which promote kspeculations rather than the lstewardship1 from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is mlove that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a nsincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by oswerving from these, have pwandered away into qvain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, rwithout understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
18 This charge I pentrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with qthe prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the rgood swarfare, 19 tholding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made ushipwreck of their faith, 20 among whom are vHymenaeus and wAlexander, whom I have xhanded over to Satan that they may learn not to yblaspheme.
A Good Servant of Christ Jesus
6 If you put these things before the brothers,1 you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that kyou have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with lirreverent, silly mmyths. Rather ntrain yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, ogodliness is of value in every way, pas it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 qThe saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive,2 because rwe have our hope set on the living God, swho is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
11 tCommand and uteach these things. 12 vLet no one despise you for your youth, but wset the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until xI come, devote yourself to the public yreading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, zwhich was given you by prophecy when the council of elders alaid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them,3 so that all may see your bprogress. 16 cKeep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
2 Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are ibrothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.
False Teachers and True Contentment
Teach and urge jthese things. 3 If anyone kteaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the lsound1 words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching mthat accords with godliness,
12 Fight the bgood fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good cconfession in the presence of many witnesses.
20 O Timothy, guard the deposit rentrusted to you. Avoid the sirreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have tswerved from the faith.
