Pray for All People
2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 zfor kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and aquiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is bpleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 cwho desires all people to be saved and to come to the dknowledge of the truth. 5 For ethere is one God, and fthere is one gmediator between God and men, the man1 Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a hransom for iall, which is the testimony given jat the proper time. 7 For this I was kappointed a preacher and an lapostle m(I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
8 I desire then that in every place the men should npray, lifting oholy hands without anger or pquarreling; 9 likewise also that qwomen should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and rself-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 sLet a woman learn quietly twith all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For uAdam was formed first, vthen Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but wthe woman was xdeceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved ythrough zchildbearing—if they continue in afaith and love and holiness, with self-control.
Qualifications for Overseers
3 bThe saying is trustworthy: cIf anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an doverseer1 must be above reproach, ethe husband of one wife,2 sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must fmanage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, ghow will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become hpuffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a isnare of the devil.
Qualifications for Deacons
8 jDeacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued,3 not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must khold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And llet them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise4 must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be mthe husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great nconfidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
The Mystery of Godliness
14 oI hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the phousehold of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. 16 Great indeed, we qconfess, is the mystery of godliness:
He5 was rmanifested sin the flesh,
seen by uangels,
vproclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
wtaken up in glory.
Some Will Depart from the Faith
4 Now the Spirit expressly says that xin later times some will ydepart from the faith by devoting themselves to zdeceitful spirits and ateachings of bdemons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose cconsciences are seared, 3 who dforbid emarriage and frequire abstinence from foods gthat God created hto be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For ieverything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is jmade holy by the word of God and prayer.
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.
Instructions for the Church
5 dDo enot rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
3 fHonor widows who are truly widows. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is gpleasing in the sight of God. 5 hShe who is truly a widow, left all alone, ihas set her hope on God and jcontinues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6 but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. 7 kCommand these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has ldenied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been mthe wife of one husband,1 10 and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has nwashed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. 11 But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry 12 and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. 13 Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and obusybodies, saying what they should not. 14 pSo I would have younger widows marry, qbear children, rmanage their households, and sgive the adversary no occasion for slander. 15 For some have already tstrayed after Satan. 16 If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.
17 uLet the velders who wrule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 xFor the Scripture says, y“You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, z“The laborer deserves his wages.” 19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except aon the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, brebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 21 cIn the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, ddoing nothing from partiality. 22 eDo not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23 No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. 24 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and feven those that are not cannot remain hidden.
6 gLet all who are under a yoke as bondservants1 regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, hso that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. 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 lsound2 words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching mthat accords with godliness, 4 he is npuffed up with conceit and ounderstands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for pcontroversy and for qquarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are rdepraved in mind and deprived of the truth, simagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But tgodliness with ucontentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and3 we vcannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But wthose who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a xsnare, into many senseless and harmful desires that yplunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
11 But as for you, O zman of God, aflee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 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. 13 I dcharge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his etestimony before4 Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the fappearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display gat the proper time—he who is the hblessed and only Sovereign, the iKing of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, jwho dwells in unapproachable light, kwhom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
17 As for the rich in lthis present age, charge them not to be mhaughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, nbut on God, owho richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be prich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus qstoring up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
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.
