The Aaron Papers  www.the-aaron-papers.net 

  First Timothy

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and Christ Jesus our hope; ²unto Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. ³As I exhorted you to tarry at Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that you might charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine, ⁴neither to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questionings, rather than a dispensation of God which is in faith; so do I now.

⁵But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned: ⁶from which things some having swerved have turned aside unto vain talking; ⁷desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they confidently affirm. ⁸But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully, ⁹as knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, ¹⁰for fornicators, for abusers of themselves with men, for menstealers, for liars, for false swearers, and if there be any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine; ¹¹according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

¹²I thank him that enabled me, even Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to his service; ¹³though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief; ¹⁴and the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief: ¹⁶howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might Jesus Christ show forth all his longsuffering, for an example of them that should thereafter believe on him unto eternal life. ¹⁷Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸This charge I commit unto you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which led the way to you, that by them you may war the good warfare; ¹⁹holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust from them made shipwreck concerning the faith: ²⁰of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered unto Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

2 I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men; ²for kings and all that are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. ³This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; ⁴who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony to be borne in its own times; ⁷whereunto I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I speak the truth, I lie not), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. ⁸I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing.

⁹In like manner, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and sobriety; not with braided hair, and gold or pearls or costly raiment; ¹⁰but (which becomes a women professing godliness) through good works. ¹¹Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection. ¹²But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness. ¹³For Adam was first formed, then Eve; ¹⁴and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being beguiled has fallen into transgression: ¹⁵but she shall be saved through her child-bearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety.

3 Faithful is the saying, If a man seeks the office of a bishop, he desires a good work. ²The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach; ³no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money; ⁴one that rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; ⁵(but if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) ⁶not a novice, unless being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷Moreover he must have a good testimony from them that are without; unless he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

⁸Deacons in like manner must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; ⁹holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. ¹⁰And let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, if they be blameless. ¹¹Women in like manner must be grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. ¹²Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. ¹³For they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴These things write I unto you, hoping to come unto you shortly; ¹⁵but if I delay long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. ¹⁶And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

4 But the Spirit expressly said, that in the later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, ²through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; ³forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth. ⁴For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving: ⁵for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

⁶If you put the brethren in mind of these things, you shall be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which you have followed until now: ⁷but refuse profane and old wives’ fables. And exercise yourself unto godliness: ⁸for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come. ⁹Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation. ¹⁰For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of them that believe. ¹¹These things command and teach. ¹²Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity. ¹³Till I come, give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching. ¹⁴Neglect not the gift that is in you, which was given you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. ¹⁵Be diligent in these things; give yourself wholly to them; that your progress may be manifest unto all. ¹⁶Take heed to yourself, and to your teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this you shall save both yourself and them that hear you.

5 Rebuke not an elder, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brethren: ²the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity.

³Honor widows that are widows indeed. ⁴But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety towards their own family, and to requite their parents: for this is acceptable in the sight of God. ⁵Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, has her hope set on God, and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. ⁶But she that gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives. ⁷These things also command, that they may be without reproach. ⁸But if any provide not for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever. ⁹Let none be enrolled as a widow under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, ¹⁰well reported of for good works; if she has brought up children, if she has used hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work. ¹¹But younger widows refuse: for when they have waxed wanton against Christ, they desire to marry; ¹²having condemnation, because they have rejected their first pledge. ¹³And withal they learn also to be idle, going about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. ¹⁴I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, give no occasion to the adversary for reviling: ¹⁵for already some are turned aside after Satan. ¹⁶If any woman that believes has widows, let her relieve them, and let not the church be burdened; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

¹⁷Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching. ¹⁸For the scripture said, You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his hire. ¹⁹Against an elder receive not an accusation, except at the mouth of two or three witnesses. ²⁰Them that sin reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear. ²¹I charge you in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality. ²²Lay hands hastily on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep yourself pure. ²³Be no longer a drinker of water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your often infirmities. ²⁴Some men’s sins are evident, going before unto judgment; and some men also they follow after. ²⁵In like manner also there are good works that are evident; and such as are otherwise cannot be hid.

6 Let as many as are servants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the doctrine be not blasphemed. ²And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but let them rather serve them, because they that partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. These things teach and exhort. ³If any man teaches a different doctrine, and consents not to sound words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; ⁴he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but doting about questionings and disputes of words, whereof comes envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, ⁵wranglings of men corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, supposing that godliness is a way of gain.

⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain: ⁷for we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out; ⁸but having food and covering we shall be therewith content. ⁹But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. ¹¹But you, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. ¹²Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto you were called, and did confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.