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I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus, just as God our Saviour commanded. Christ Jesus also commanded it. We have put our hope in him. 2 Timothy, I am sending you this letter. You are my true son in the faith.
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy and peace.
3 Timothy, stay there in Ephesus. That is what I told you to do when I went into Macedonia. I want you to command certain people not to teach things that aren't true. 4 And command them not to spend their time on stories that are made up. They must not waste time on family histories that never end. These things only lead to fights about ideas. They don't help God's work move forward. His work is done by faith. 5 Love is the purpose of my command. Love comes from a pure heart. It comes from a good sense of what is right and wrong. It comes from faith that is honest and true. 6 Some have turned from these teachings. They would rather talk about things that have no meaning. 7 They want to be teachers of the law. And they are very sure about that law. But they don't know what they are talking about.
8 We know that the law is good if it is used properly. 9 We also know that the law isn't made for godly people. It is made for those who break the law. It is for those who refuse to obey. It is for ungodly and sinful people. It is for those who aren't holy and who don't believe. It is for those who kill their fathers or mothers. It is for murderers. 10 It is for those who commit sexual sins. It is for those who commit homosexual acts. It is for people who buy and sell slaves. It is for liars. It is for people who tell lies in court. It is for those who are a witness to things that aren't true. And it is for anything else that is the opposite of true teaching. 11 True teaching agrees with the good news about the glory of the blessed God. He trusted me with that good news.
1:1–11 Paul had authority because God had commanded him to be an apostle. Using this authority, Paul commanded Timothy to stay in Ephesus and keep working there. Part of Timothy's work was to command people to stop teaching things that weren't true. The purpose of the commands was love. Paul gave Timothy his command because he loved Timothy and the church in Ephesus. Timothy would show his love for the church in Ephesus by correcting the false teachings. When people believe true teaching about Jesus, God's love grows strong among them. Some believers in Ephesus taught religious stories and ideas that weren't about Jesus. They also taught about Jewish laws without understanding them. Paul explained that the Law of Moses showed people what not to do. But the law couldn't make people do what they should do. God makes people able to do what they should do. The Holy Spirit works in the hearts of those who have faith in God. He helps them to know what is honest, right and true.
12 I am thankful to Christ Jesus our Lord. He has given me strength. I thank him that he considered me faithful. I thank him for appointing me to serve him. 13 I used to speak evil things against Jesus. I tried to hurt his followers. I really pushed them around. But God showed me mercy anyway. I did those things without knowing any better. I wasn't a believer. 14 Our Lord poured out more and more of his grace on me. Along with it came faith and love from Christ Jesus.
15 Here is a saying that you can trust. It should be accepted completely. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the worst sinner of all. 16 But for that very reason, God showed me mercy. And I am the worst of sinners. He showed me mercy so that Christ Jesus could show that he is very patient. I was an example for those who would come to believe in him. Then they would receive eternal life. 17 The eternal King will never die. He can't be seen. He is the only God. Give him honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
18 My son Timothy, I am giving you this command. It is in keeping with the prophecies once made about you. By remembering them, you can fight the battle well. 19 Then you will hold on to faith. You will hold on to a good sense of what is right and wrong. Some have not accepted this knowledge of right and wrong. So they have destroyed their faith. They are like a ship that has sunk. 20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are among them. I have handed them over to Satan. That will teach them not to speak evil things against God.
1:12–20 Paul used himself as an example of how God works in a person's life. Years before, Paul had opposed the good news about Jesus in violent and evil ways. God had mercy on him. Paul recognised that he was a sinner and needed the Lord Jesus to save him. Jesus' grace and love completely changed him. Then God trusted Paul with the work of telling others about Jesus. This story about Paul is told in Acts chapter 9. As Paul wrote about this to Timothy, he was full of thanks. He praised God for his patience and mercy. Paul's example showed that people who speak against Jesus can change. They can be filled with faith and do God's work. Paul mentioned two believers who spoke evil things against God. Paul said he had handed them over to Satan. Satan is another name for the devil. Paul also wrote about handing people over to Satan in 1 Corinthians 5:1–13. It meant that for a while they couldn't be part of the church community. If they wanted to return they had to turn away from their sin and repent. They had to accept the truth about God.