1 Timothy 1

Introduction and Purpose of the Letter

¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, ² to Timothy, my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³ As 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 ⁴ or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. ⁵ The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. ⁷ They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

The Proper Use of the Law

⁸ We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. ⁹ We 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, ¹⁰ for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine ¹¹ that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which He entrusted to me.

Paul’s Testimony of God’s Grace

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me trustworthy, appointing me to His service. ¹³ Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. ¹⁴ The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But 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. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Timothy’s Call to Fight the Good Fight

¹⁸ Timothy, 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, ¹⁹ holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. ²⁰ Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

Footnotes:

1.“Endless genealogies” (verse 4) refers to speculative debates about Jewish ancestry and lineage that were distracting believers from the true message of the gospel. In the first century, some false teachers were obsessed with proving their worth through lineage.

2.“Law is good if one uses it properly” (verse 8) highlights the necessity of understanding the purpose of the law. The Greek word nomos refers to the Mosaic Law, which is good but meant to reveal sin and lead to righteousness in Christ.

3.“For lawbreakers and rebels” (verse 9) emphasizes that the law is not needed for those who are already living righteously by faith but is designed to confront sin. The list of offenses in verses 9-10 shows the moral degradation the law addresses.

4.“Sound doctrine” (verse 10) uses the Greek word hygiainousa didaskalia, meaning healthy or wholesome teaching. Paul contrasts this with the false teachings that were disrupting the church, showing that the gospel is a source of life and health.

5.“I was shown mercy” (verse 13) reflects Paul’s deep understanding of grace. As a former persecutor of the church, Paul saw his transformation as the ultimate example of God’s patience and mercy towards sinners.

6.“Shipwreck with regard to the faith” (verse 19) is a vivid metaphor Paul uses to describe those who have abandoned their faith. In the ancient world, shipwrecks were disastrous, symbolizing total ruin and loss, which Paul applies to spiritual collapse.

7.“Handed over to Satan” (verse 20) refers to church discipline, where individuals are excluded from the fellowship of believers as a last resort, in the hope that they will repent. This phrase suggests a severe form of discipline aimed at ultimate restoration.