Chapter I: ALSO, brethren, was not able to speak to you as spiritual, but as (4)

(5)Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? (6)And now ye know what withholds, in order that he may be revealed in his own time. (7)For the mystery of iniquity is already working; only until he who now withholds shall be out of the way. (8)And then will the Lawless One be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the breath of his mouth, and will destroy with the manifestation of his coming; (9)[him,] whose coming is after the working of Satan, in all power and signs and lying wonders, (10)and in all deceit of unrighteousness for those who perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (11)And for this cause God sends them a working of delusion, in order that they may believe the lie; (12)that they may all be judged, who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

(13)But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you to salvation, in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth; (14)whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (15)So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions[2:15] which ye were taught, whether by word, or by our letter.

(16)Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God and our Father, who loved us, and gave us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, (17)encourage your hearts, and establish you in every good work and word.

III.

FINALLY, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run, and be glorified, as also with you; (2)and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil men; for all have not the faith. (3)But faithful is the Lord, who will establish you, and guard you from evil[3:3]. (4)And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that ye both do, and will do, the things which we command you. (5)And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.

(6)Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly, and not after the tradition[3:6] which they received from us. (7)For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us; that we were not disorderly among you, (8)nor did we eat bread of any one for naught, but with labor and toil, working night and day that we might not be burdensome to any of you; (9)not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example to you, that ye should follow us. (10)For also when we were with you, this we commanded you: If any will not work, neither let him eat. (11)For we hear of some who walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy-bodies. (12)Now such we command, and exhort, in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness working, they eat their own bread.

(13)But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. (14)And if any one obeys not our word by this letter, mark that man, and keep not company with him, that he may be shamed. (15)And count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

(16)Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always, in every way. The Lord be with you all.

(17)The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a token in every letter; so I write.

(18)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

THE FIRST LETTER OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY.

I.

PAUL, an apostle of Christ Jesus, according to the commandment of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope, (2)to Timothy, a true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

(3)As I besought thee to remain still in Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge certain ones not to teach other doctrine, (4)nor to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which further disputes rather than God's dispensation, which is in faith, [so do.]

(5)Now the end of the commandment is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned; (6)from which some swerving turned aside to idle prattling; (7)desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. (8)But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; (9)knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers[1:9]; for man-slayers, (10)for fornicators, for those who defile themselves with mankind, for enslavers of men, for liars, for false swearers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teachings; (11)according to the glorious gospel of the blissful God, with which I was entrusted.

(12)And I thank him who gave me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, that he accounted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, (13)who was formerly a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and overbearing. But I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief; (14)and the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly, with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

(15)Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (16)But for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first[1:16a] Christ Jesus might show forth all his long-suffering[1:16b], for a pattern to those who should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

(17)Now to the King eternal, the imperishable, invisible, only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

(18)This charge I commit to thee, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before concerning thee, that thou mayest wage in them the good warfare; (19)having faith, and a good conscience, which some thrusting away made shipwreck concerning the faith. (20)Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered over to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

II.