3 ^gAs I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not ^hto teach any different doctrine,

1 Now ^xthe Spirit expressly says that ^yin later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to ^zdeceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of ^aliars whose consciences are seared, 3 ^bwho forbid marriage and ^crequire abstinence from foods ^dthat God created ^eto be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For ^feverything created by God is good, and ^gnothing is to be rejected if it is ^ereceived with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy ^hby the word of God and prayer.

6 ⁱIf 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 you have ^jfollowed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, ^ksilly myths. Rather ^ltrain yourself for godliness; 8 for while ^mbodily training is of some value, godliness ⁿis of value in every way, as ^oit holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is ^ptrustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive,² because we have our hope set on the living God, ^qwho is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

11 Command and teach ^rthese things. 12 ^sLet no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers ^tan example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 ^uDo not neglect the gift you have, which was given you ^vby prophecy when the council of elders ^wlaid their hands on you.

12 ^mFight the good fight of the faith. ⁿTake hold of the eternal life ^oto which you were called and about which you made ^pthe good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 ^qI charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, ^rwho in his testimony before¹ Pontius Pilate made ^pthe good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until ^sthe appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display ^tat the proper time—he who is ^uthe blessed and only Sovereign, ^vthe King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 ^wwho alone has immortality, ^xwho dwells in ^yunapproachable light, ^zwhom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

17 As for the rich in ^athis present age, charge them ^bnot to be haughty, nor ^cto set their hopes on ^dthe uncertainty of riches, but on God, ^ewho richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, ^fto be rich in good works, to be generous and ^gready to share, 19 thus ^hstoring up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may ⁱtake hold of ^jthat which is truly life.

20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. ^kAvoid the ^lirreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.

^mGrace be with you.²