Titus 3

Graces of the Heirs of Grace

1 Remind themto be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey,to be ready for every good work,

2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.

3 Forwe ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

4 But whenthe kindness and the love ofGod our Savior toward man appeared,

5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, throughthe washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

7 that having been justified by His gracewe should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Avoid Dissension

9 Butavoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.

10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition,

11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

Final Messages

12 When I send Artemas to you, orTychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.

13 Send Zenas the lawyer andApollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing.

14 And let ourpeoplealso learn to maintain good works, tomeeturgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

Farewell

15 All whoarewith me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Gracebewith you all. Amen.

II Timothy 1

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to thepromise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy, abeloved son:

Grace, mercy,andpeace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Timothy’s Faith and Heritage

3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, asmyforefathersdid,as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day,

4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy,

5 when I call to remembrancethe genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois andyour mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

6 Therefore I remind youto stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

7 ForGod has not given us a spirit of fear,but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Not Ashamed of the Gospel

8 Therefore do not be ashamed ofthe testimony of our Lord, nor of meHis prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,

9 who has saved us and calleduswith a holy calling,not according to our works, butaccording to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesusbefore time began,

10 buthas now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ,whohas abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed,for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

Be Loyal to the Faith

13 Hold fastthe pattern ofsound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

15 This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

16 The Lord grant mercy to thehousehold of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;

17 but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and foundme.

18 The Lordgrant to him that he may find mercy from the Lordin that Day—and you know very well how many ways heministeredtomeat Ephesus.

II Timothy 2

Be Strong in Grace

1 You therefore,my son,be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

3 You therefore mustendure hardshipas a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs ofthislife, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

5 And alsoif anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.

7 Consider what I say, and may the Lordgive you understanding in all things.

8 Remember that Jesus Christ,of the seed of David,was raised from the deadaccording to my gospel,

9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer,evento the point of chains;but the word of God is not chained.

10 ThereforeI endure all things for the sake of the elect,that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

11 Thisisa faithful saying:

# Forif we died withHim,

We shall also live withHim.

12 If we endure,

We shall also reign withHim.

# If we denyHim,

He also will deny us.

13 If we are faithless,

He remains faithful;

# Hecannot deny Himself.

Approved and Disapproved Workers

14 Remindthemof these things,chargingthembefore the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

16 But shun profaneandidle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.

17 And their message will spread like cancer.Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,

18 who have strayed concerning the truth,saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.

19 Neverthelessthe solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lordknows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

20 But in a great house there are not onlyvessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.

21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master,prepared for every good work.

22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.

24 Anda servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all,able to teach,patient,

25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition,if God perhaps will grant them repentance,so that they may know the truth,

26 andthatthey may come to their sensesandescape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him todohis will.

II Timothy 3

Perilous Times and Perilous Men

1 But know this, thatin the last days perilous times will come:

2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

5 having a form of godliness butdenying its power. Andfrom such people turn away!

6 Forof this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

7 always learning and never ableto come to the knowledge of the truth.

8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth:men of corrupt minds,disapproved concerning the faith;

9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all,as theirs also was.

The Man of God and the Word of God

10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,

11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to meat Antioch,at Iconium,at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. Andout ofthemall the Lord delivered me.

12 Yes, andall who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

14 But you mustcontinue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learnedthem,

15 and that from childhood you have knownthe Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 All Scriptureisgiven by inspiration of God,andisprofitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

17 that the man of God may be complete,thoroughly equipped for every good work.

II Timothy 4

Preach the Word

1 Ichargeyoutherefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ,who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

2 Preach the word! Be ready in seasonandout of season.Convince,rebuke,exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

3 For the time will come when they will not enduresound doctrine,but according to their own desires,becausethey have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

4 and they will turntheirears away from the truth, andbe turned aside to fables.

5 But you be watchful in all things,endure afflictions, do the work ofan evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Paul’s Valedictory

6 ForI am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time ofmy departure is at hand.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

8 Finally, there is laid up for methe crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteousJudge, will give to meon that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

The Abandoned Apostle

9 Be diligent to come to me quickly;

10 forDemas has forsaken me,having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.

11 Only Luke is with me. GetMark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.

12 AndTychicus I have sent to Ephesus.

13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.

14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.

15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.

16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me.May it not be charged against them.

The Lord Is Faithful

17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me,so that the message might be preached fully through me, andthatall the Gentiles might hear. Also I was deliveredout of the mouth of the lion.

18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preservemefor His heavenly kingdom.To Himbeglory forever and ever. Amen!

Come Before Winter

19 GreetPrisca and Aquila, and the household ofOnesiphorus.

20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, butTrophimus I have left in Miletus sick.

21 Do your utmost to come before winter.

Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.

Farewell

22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

I Timothy 1

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,

2 To Timothy, atrue son in the faith:

# Grace, mercy,andpeace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

No Other Doctrine

3 As I urged youwhen I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge somethat they teach no other doctrine,

4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.

5 Nowthe purpose of the commandment is lovefrom a pure heart,froma good conscience, andfromsincere faith,

6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside toidle talk,

7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.

8 But we know that the lawisgood if one uses it lawfully,

9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but forthelawless and insubordinate, fortheungodly and for sinners, fortheunholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,

11 according to the glorious gospel of theblessed God which wascommitted to my trust.

Glory to God for His Grace

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hasenabled me,because He counted me faithful,puttingmeinto the ministry,

13 althoughI was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy becauseI diditignorantly in unbelief.

14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant,with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

15 Thisisa faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, thatChrist Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

17 Now tothe King eternal,immortal,invisible, to Godwho alone is wise,behonor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Fight the Good Fight

18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,

19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,

20 of whom areHymenaeus andAlexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not toblaspheme.

I Timothy 2

Pray for All Men

1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions,andgiving of thanks be made for all men,

2 for kings andall who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

3 For thisisgood and acceptable in the sightof God our Savior,

4 who desires all men to be savedand to come to the knowledge of the truth.

5 Forthereisone God andone Mediator between God and men,theMan Christ Jesus,

6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,

7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christandnot lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Men and Women in the Church

8 I desire therefore that the men prayeverywhere,lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

9 in like manner also, that thewomen adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,

10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.

11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.

12 AndI do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.

13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.

14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

I Timothy 3

Qualifications of Overseers

1 Thisisa faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;

3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

4 one who rules his own house well, havinghischildren in submission with all reverence

5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);

6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into thesamecondemnation as the devil.

7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and thesnare of the devil.

Qualifications of Deacons

8 Likewise deaconsmustbereverent, not double-tongued,not given to much wine, not greedy for money,

9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, beingfoundblameless.

11 Likewise,theirwivesmustbereverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, rulingtheirchildren and their own houses well.

13 For those who have served well as deaconsobtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

The Great Mystery

14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;

15 but if I am delayed,Iwriteso that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

# God was manifested in the flesh,

# Justified in the Spirit,

# Seen by angels,

# Preached among the Gentiles,

# Believed on in the world,

# Received up in glory.

I Timothy 4

The Great Apostasy

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heedto deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscienceseared with a hot iron,

3 forbidding to marry,andcommandingto abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

4 For every creature of Godisgood, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;

5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

A Good Servant of Jesus Christ

6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ,nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

7 Butreject profane and old wives’ fables, andexercise yourself toward godliness.

8 Forbodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things,having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

9 Thisisa faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.

10 For to thisendwe both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God,who istheSavior of all men, especially of those who believe.

11 These things command and teach.

Take Heed to Your Ministry

12 Let no one despise your youth, but be anexample to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecywith the laying on of the hands of the eldership.

15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.

16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

I Timothy 5

Treatment of Church Members

1 Do not rebuke an older man, but exhorthimas a father, younger men as brothers,

2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.

Honor True Widows

3 Honor widows who are really widows.

4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home andto repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God.

5 Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayersnight and day.

6 But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.

7 And these things command, that they may be blameless.

8 But if anyone does not provide for his own,and especially for those of his household,he has denied the faithand is worse than an unbeliever.

9 Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number,andnotunlessshe has been the wife of one man,

10 well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.

11 But refusetheyounger widows; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry,

12 having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith.

13 And besides they learntobeidle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.

14 Therefore I desire thattheyoungerwidowsmarry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

15 For some have already turned aside after Satan.

16 If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.

Honor the Elders

17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

18 For the Scripture says,“You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and,“The laborerisworthy of his wages.”

19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder exceptfrom two or three witnesses.

20 Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.

21 I chargeyoubefore God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things withoutprejudice, doing nothing with partiality.

22 Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, norshare in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.

23 No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.

24 Some men’s sins areclearly evident, precedingthemto judgment, but those of somemenfollow later.

25 Likewise, the good worksofsomeare clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.