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Correcting False Teaching

¹ Paul, ^(C1)an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of ^(C2)Christ Jesus ^(C3)by the commandment of ^(C3)God our Savior, and of ^(C2)Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed) our ^(C4)Hope the fulfillment of our salvation,

² to ^(C1)Timothy, ^(C1)my true son in the faith: ^(C2)Grace, mercy, and peace inner calm and spiritual well-being from God the Father and ^(C3)Christ Jesus our Lord.

³ As I urged you when I was on my way to ^(C1)Macedonia, stay on at ^(C2)Ephesus so that you may instruct certain individuals not to ^(C3)teach any different doctrines,⁴ nor to pay attention to ^(C1)legends (fables, myths) and endless ^(C2)genealogies, which give rise to useless ^(C3)speculation and meaningless arguments rather than ^(C4)advancing God's program of instruction which is grounded in faith and requires surrendering the entire self to God in absolute trust and confidence.⁵ But the goal of our ^(C1)instruction is love which springs ^(C2)from a pure heart and a ^(C3)good conscience and a sincere ^(C4)faith.⁶ Some individuals have wandered away from these things into ^(C1)empty arguments and useless discussions,^7 (C1)wanting to be ^(C2)teachers of the Law of Moses, even though they do not understand the terms they use or the subjects about which they make such confident declarations.

⁸ Now we know without any doubt that ^(C1)the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully and appropriately,⁹ understanding the fact that ^(C1)law is not enacted for the righteous person the one in right standing with God, but for lawless and ^(C2)rebellious people, for the ^(C3)ungodly and sinful, for the irreverent and ^(C4)profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,¹⁰ for ^(C1)sexually immoral persons, for ^(C2)homosexuals, for ^(F1)(C3)kidnappers and slave traders, for ^(C4)liars, for ^(C5)perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to ^(C6)sound doctrine,¹¹ according to ^(C1)the glorious gospel of ^(C2)the blessed God, with which I have been ^(C3)entrusted.

¹² I thank ^(C1)Christ Jesus our Lord, who has ^(C2)granted me the needed strength and made me able for this, because He considered me faithful and trustworthy, ^(C3)putting me into service for this ministry,¹³ even though I was formerly a blasphemer of our Lord and a ^(C1)persecutor of His church and a shameful and outrageous and violent aggressor toward believers. Yet I was ^(C2)shown mercy because ^(C3)I acted out of ignorance in unbelief.¹⁴ The ^(C1)grace of our Lord His amazing, unmerited favor and blessing flowed out in superabundance for me, together with the ^(C2)faith and love which are realized in Christ Jesus.^15 (F1)(C1)This is a faithful and trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance and approval, that ^(C2)Christ Jesus came into the world to ^(C3)save sinners, among whom ^(C4)I am foremost.¹⁶ Yet for this reason I ^(C1)found mercy, so that in me as the foremost of sinners, Jesus Christ might ^(C2)demonstrate His perfect patience as an example or pattern for those who ^(F1)would believe in Him for eternal life.¹⁷ Now to the ^(C1)King of the ages eternal, ^(C2)immortal, ^(C3)invisible, the ^(C4)only God, ^(C5)be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸ This ^(C1)command I entrust to you, Timothy, ^(C2)my son, in accordance with the ^(C3)prophecies previously made concerning you, so that inspired and aided by them you may ^(C4)fight the good fight in contending with false teachers,¹⁹ keeping your ^(C1)faith leaning completely on God with absolute trust and confidence in His guidance and having a good conscience; for some people have rejected their moral compass and have made a shipwreck of ^(C2)their faith.²⁰ Among these are ^(C1)Hymenaeus and ^(C2)Alexander, whom I have ^(F1)(C3)handed over to Satan, so that they will be ^(C4)disciplined and taught not to blaspheme.