1 Timothy

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

1This letter is from Paul. He is an apostle of Christ Jesus, a messenger Jesus sent out. God our Savior told him to do this. Christ Jesus is our hope.

2Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

2It is for Timothy, my true child in the faith. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.

3As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

3When I left for Macedonia, I asked you to stay in Ephesus. I wanted you to tell certain men there to stop teaching wrong things.

4Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

4Tell them to stop caring about made-up stories and long family lists. Those things only start arguments. They do not help God's work, which comes through faith.

5Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

5The goal of what we teach is love. That love comes from a clean heart. It comes from knowing you have done right. It comes from honest faith.

NoteThe King James Bible uses the word "charity" here. In 1611 that word meant love, not giving money to the poor.

6From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

6Some people have wandered away from this. Now they only talk about things that mean nothing.

7Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

7They want to be teachers of God's law. But they do not understand their own words. They do not understand the things they say so surely.

8But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

8We know the law is good, if a person uses it the right way.

9Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

9The law is not made for people who already do right. It is for people who break rules and will not obey. It is for people who ignore God and do wrong. It is for people who are not holy. It is for people who kill their father or mother, and for people who kill others.

10For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

10It is for people who do wrong sexual things. It is for men who have sex with men. It is for people who steal others and sell them as slaves. It is for liars, and for people who promise to tell the truth and then lie. It is for anyone who lives against right teaching.

11According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

11That right teaching comes from the good news about our great and happy God. God trusted me with that good news.

12And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord. He made me strong. He decided I could be trusted, and he gave me work to do for him.

13Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

13Before that, I said bad things against God. I hurt his people and treated them cruelly. But God showed me mercy. I did not know what I was doing, and I did not believe.

14And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

14Our Lord was very kind to me. With that kindness came faith and love, which come from Christ Jesus.

15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

15Here is a saying you can trust, and everyone should accept it. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst one of all.

Note"Chief" in the King James Bible means "worst" here, not "leader."

16Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

16That is why God showed me mercy. Jesus Christ used me, the worst one, to show how patient he can be. Now I am an example for people who will believe in him and live forever.

17Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

17The King who lives forever never dies, and no one can see him. He is the only God. May he have honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

18This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

18Timothy, my child, I am giving you this job. It matches what God's prophets said about you before. Let their words help you fight the good fight.

NoteA prophet is someone who tells people what God says. Earlier, prophets had said things about Timothy.

19Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

19Keep on believing. Keep doing what you know is right. Some people threw that away. Their faith broke apart, like a ship smashed on rocks.

20Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

20Two of these men are Hymenaeus and Alexander. I handed them over to Satan. I want them to learn not to say bad things against God.