Timothy

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.

This 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;

NoteA prophet is someone who told people what God said. Prophets had said before that Timothy would do God's work. Paul says "fight the good fight," but he does not mean a war with swords. He means working hard and not giving up.

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.

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

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.

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

NoteSatan is God's enemy. Handing them over to Satan means Paul sent these men out of the group of believers. He hoped they would change and come back.

20Timothy, guard what has been put in your care. Stay away from empty, silly talk. Stay away from arguments that people wrongly call knowledge.

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

NoteWhat God put in Timothy's care was the true message about Jesus. Some teachers said they knew secret things nobody else knew. Paul says that kind of talk is not real knowing at all.

21Some people have claimed that kind of knowledge. They have wandered away from the faith. May God be kind to you. Amen.

Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

1This letter is from Paul. God chose him to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. An apostle is someone Jesus sent out to tell people about him. Paul was sent to share God's promise of life in Christ Jesus.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

NotePaul traveled to many places telling people about Jesus. He wrote letters to his friends and to churches. This letter is one of them. An apostle was one of the helpers Jesus sent out to tell people about him.

2I am writing to Timothy. I love you like my own son. I pray God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord will be kind to you. May they show you mercy and give you peace.

To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

NoteTimothy was not really Paul's son. Paul had taught him about Jesus, so he loved him like a son. "Grace" means God being kind and giving us good things we did not earn. "Mercy" means being gentle and forgiving instead of punishing.

3I thank God, and I serve him the way my family before me did. My heart is clear before him. I pray for you all the time, at night and in the daytime.

I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

NoteYour conscience is the part of you that knows right from wrong. "Forefathers" means the family who lived long before you, like your great-grandparents.

4I remember how you cried. I really want to see you again. Seeing you would make me very happy.

Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;

5I remember that you really do trust God. Your grandmother Lois trusted him first, and then your mother Eunice. I am sure that same trust is in you too.

When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

6So I am reminding you of something. God gave you a special gift when I put my hands on you. Keep that gift burning bright, like a fire you stir up.

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

NoteLong ago, leaders would lay their hands on a person's head. Then they would pray for that person out loud. It showed everyone that God had given that person a job to do.

7God did not give us a spirit that makes us afraid. He gave us a spirit of power and love. He also helps us think clearly and stay in control of ourselves.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

1This letter is from Paul. I am in prison because I serve Jesus Christ. It is also from Timothy, our brother. I am writing to Philemon, our dear friend who works with us.

Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,

NoteThis is a letter. Back then a letter began with the writer's name, not the ending. Paul was locked up in prison because he told people about Jesus. He calls Timothy "our brother." Believers called each other brother and sister even when they were not family.

2I am also writing to our dear Apphia, and to Archippus, who serves God beside us. And I am writing to the believers who meet in your house.

And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

NoteThere were no church buildings yet. Believers met in someone's house to sing, pray and eat together. The old word "fellowsoldier" does not mean Archippus fought in a war. It means he worked hard for God beside Paul, like a brave friend.

3May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be kind to you and give you peace.

Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Note"Grace" means God being kind to us when we did nothing to earn it. Paul started his letters this way, the way we start with "hello."

23I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been set free. If he comes soon, I will bring him when I visit you.

Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.

NoteTimothy was a young helper. He traveled to many places teaching people about Jesus.