1 Paul, aan apostle of bChrist Jesus caccording to the commandment of cGod our Savior, and of bChrist Jesus, who is our dhope, 2 To aTimothy, amy true child in the faith: bGrace, mercy and peace from God the Father and cChrist Jesus our Lord. 3 As I urged you upon my departure for aMacedonia, remain on at bEphesus so that you may instruct certain men not to cteach strange doctrines, 4 nor to pay attention to amyths and endless bgenealogies, which give rise to mere cspeculation rather than dfurthering the administration of God which is by faith. 5 But the goal of our ainstruction is love bfrom a pure heart and a cgood conscience and a sincere dfaith. 6 For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to afruitless discussion, 7 awanting to be bteachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. 8 But we know that athe Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 realizing the fact that alaw is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and brebellious, for the cungodly and sinners, for the unholy and dprofane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers 10 and aimmoral men and bhomosexuals and ckidnappers and dliars and eperjurers, and whatever else is contrary to fsound teaching, 11 according to athe glorious gospel of bthe blessed God, with which I have been centrusted. 12 I thank aChrist Jesus our Lord, who has bstrengthened me, because He considered me faithful, cputting me into service, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a apersecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was bshown mercy because cI acted ignorantly in unbelief; 14 and the agrace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the bfaith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. 15 aIt is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that bChrist Jesus came into the world to csave sinners, among whom dI am foremost of all. 16 Yet for this reason I afound mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might bdemonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 17 Now to the aKing eternal, bimmortal, cinvisible, the donly God, ebe honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 18 This acommand I entrust to you, Timothy, bmy son, in accordance with the cprophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you dfight the good fight, 19 keeping afaith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to btheir faith. 20 Among these are aHymenaeus and bAlexander, whom I have chanded over to Satan, so that they will be dtaught not to blaspheme.