| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, | 1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope: |
| 2To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. | 2To Timothy, my true son in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. |
| 3As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, | 3As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach different doctrine |
| 4nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. | 4or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God's plan, which operates by faith. |
| 5The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. | 5Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. |
| 6Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, | 6Some have deviated from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion. |
| 7desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. | 7They want to be teachers of the law, although they don't understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on. |
| 8Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, | 8But we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately. |
| 9understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, | 9We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, |
| 10the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, | 10for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching |
| 11in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. | 11based on the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me. |
| 12I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, | 12I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry-- |
| 13though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, | 13one who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief. |
| 14and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. | 14And the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. |
| 15The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. | 15This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"--and I am the worst of them. |
| 16But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. | 16But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate His extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. |
| 17To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. | 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. |
| 18This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, | 18Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by them you may strongly engage in battle, |
| 19holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, | 19having faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and have suffered the shipwreck of their faith. |
| 20among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. | 20Hymenaeus and Alexander are among them, and I have delivered them to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme. |
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