1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2To Timothy my true son in the faith:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Timothy Charged to Oppose False Teachers
3As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer 4or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. 5The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. 7They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
8We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
The Lord’s Grace to Paul
12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The Charge to Timothy Renewed
18Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, 19holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 20Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
1我保罗奉我们救主上帝和赐我们盼望的基督耶稣的命令，做基督耶稣的使徒， 2写信给因信主而做我真儿子的提摩太。
愿父上帝和我们的主基督耶稣赐给你恩典、怜悯和平安！
谨防异端邪说
3我去马其顿的时候，曾经劝你继续留在以弗所，好命令那几个人不要传讲异端邪说， 4也不要沉迷于无稽之谈和冗长的家谱，因为这些事只会引起争论，无法帮助人凭信心认识上帝的计划。 5这命令的目的是为了爱，这爱来自于清洁的心、无愧的良心和真实无伪的信心。 6可惜有些人却偏离这些，转向空洞的谈论。 7他们想做律法教师，却不明白自己所谈论所主张的。
8我们知道，只要用得合宜，律法本是好的。 9因为律法并不是为义人设的，而是为了对付那些目无法纪、大逆不道、不敬畏上帝、犯罪作恶、不圣洁、贪恋世俗、杀害父母、行凶害命、 10淫乱、同性恋、拐卖人口、说谎、起假誓的人，以及其他违反正道的人。 11这正道来自当受称颂的上帝托付我传扬的荣耀福音。
感谢上帝的怜悯
12我感谢赐我力量的主基督耶稣，因为祂视我忠心可靠，派我事奉祂。 13尽管我从前是个亵渎上帝、迫害和侮辱信徒的人，但我仍然蒙了怜悯，因为那时我无知，还没有信耶稣。 14我们的主赐给我丰富的恩典，使我在基督耶稣里有信心和爱心。
15这句话千真万确、完全可信：“基督耶稣降世，为要拯救罪人。”在罪人中我是个罪魁， 16但我依然蒙了怜悯，因为基督耶稣要在我这个罪魁身上彰显祂无限的忍耐，使我做那些要信靠祂并得永生之人的榜样。
17愿尊贵、荣耀归给那位不朽的、肉眼不能见的万世君王——独一无二的上帝，直到永远。阿们！
18我儿提摩太啊，我依照从前有关你的预言，把这命令托付给你，好使你借此打美好的仗。 19你要持守信心和无愧的良心。有些人丧掉良心，结果他们的信仰就像船触了礁， 20其中有许米乃和亚历山大。我已经把他们交给撒旦，使他们学到教训，不再说亵渎的话。
