Montgomery - I Timothy

Chapter 1

1:1  Paul, and apostle of Jesus Christ by command of God our Saviour and Jesus Christ our Hope,

1:2  to Timothy, my true son in the faith; Grace, mercy and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3  As I begged you when I was setting out for Macedonia, stay where you are at Ephesus, and instruct certain individuals there not to be teaching heterodoxy,

1:4  nor to be paying attention to myths and interminable genealogies, which tend to promote discussions rather than a stewardship entrusted by God, a stewardship which is in faith.

1:5  Now the end of the exhortation is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and an undissembled faith.

1:6  Some have failed here, and have turned aside to empty argument.

1:7  Although they desire to be teachers of the law, they understand neither the words they use nor the subjects they talk about.

1:8  I know well that "the Law is good" if a man use it lawfully;

1:9  but he must remember that the Law is not enacted for a good man, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the irreligious and sinful, for the godless and profane, for parricides and murderers,

1:10  for the immoral, for sexual perverts, for slave dealers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching,

1:11  as laid down in the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which has been entrusted to me.

1:12  And I am thankful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has thus enabled me, that he accounted me faithful, and appointed me to his service,

1:13  although I had formerly been a blasphemer and a persecutor and a doer of outrage. But I obtained mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief.

1:14  And the grace of our Lord overflowed with faith and love that is in Christ Jesus.

1:15  Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners"! And there is no greater sinner than I!

1:16  Yet for this very cause I obtained mercy, so that in me, the chief of sinners, Jesus Christ might display all his boundless patience as an illustration for those who should later believe in him, and so gain life eternal.

1:17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be glory and honor forever and ever. Amen!

1:18  This charge then, I am laying upon you, Timothy, my son, according to the predictions formerly made concerning you. Fight the good fight in the spirit of these predictions,

1:19  keeping fast hold of faith and a good conscience; which certain individuals have cast aside, and so made shipwreck of their faith.

1:20  Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have given over to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

Chapter 2

2:1  First of all then, I am urging that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered regularly for all men;

2:2  for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and peaceful life in all godliness an gravity.

2:3  For this is good and pleasing in the eyes of our Saviour God,

2:4  whose will it is that all men should be saved, and come into full knowledge of the truth.

2:5  For God is one; and one is mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus,

2:6  who gave himself as a ransom in behalf of all, to be attested in due time.

2:7  It was for this testimony that I myself was appointed a herald and apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), to be a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

2:8  My wish, then, is that in every place the men should offer prayer, lifting up holy hands, free from anger and disputation;

2:9  in like manner also the women. I desire women to clothe themselves in suitable apparel, adorning themselves with reverence and self- restraint; not with hair plaited with gold or pearls, or with expensive clothes,

2:10  but (as becomes women proclaiming godliness) with the ornament of good deeds.

2:11  Let a woman learn quietly in entire submission.

2:12  I allow no woman to teach, or to exercise authority over a man; but let her keep quiet.

2:13  It was Adam who was first formed, then Eve.

2:14  And it was not Adam who was deceived; but it was the woman who was thoroughly deceived, and who became involved in transgression.

2:15  Notwithstanding she will be saved by the Child-bearing; (so will they all), if they live in faith and love and holiness, with self- restraint.

Chapter 3

3:1  This is a faithful saying, "If any man is seeking the office of a minister he is aspiring to a noble task."

3:2  The minister should be a man of blameless character; he should be husband of but one wife; he should live a sober, self-restrained, orderly life; he should be hospitable, skilled in teaching;

3:3  no drinker or brawler; but forbearing, peaceable, and no money- lover;

3:4  he should be a man who rules his own household well, and keeps his children ever under control and thoroughly well behaved.

3:5  For if a man does not know how to rule his own household, how shall he take charge of a church of God?

3:6  He must not be a recent convert, lest he be blinded with pride, and incur the doom of the devil.

3:7  He should also have a good reputation among outsiders, lest he fall into reproach, and into a snare of the devil.

3:8  Deacons, likewise, must be serious, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of gain,

3:9  holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

3:10  They should first be tested, and after that, if they are found irreproachable, let them serve as deacons.

3:11  Deaconesses likewise must be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

3:12  Let deacons be the husband of but one wife, men who rule their children and their household properly.

3:13  For those who have well discharged the duties of a deacon are gaining an honorable position for themselves, as well as much fearless confidence in the faith of Christ Jesus.

3:14  Although I am hoping to come to you before long,

3:15  I am writing this to you in case I should be detained, to let you see how you ought to behave in the household of God - the Church of the everliving God, the pillar and mainstay of the truth.

3:16  Yes! without contradiction, great is the mystery of godliness!

Chapter 4

4:1  Now the Spirit distinctly declares that in latter days there will be some who will fall away from the faith, by listening to spirits of error, and to teachings of demons

4:2  speaking lies in hypocrisy. These are men whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron,

4:3  who discourage marriage, and enjoin abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thankfulness, by those who believe, and have a clear knowledge of the truth.

4:4  For everything that God has created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if only it is received with thankfulness.

4:5  For it is sanctified by the Word of God and by prayer.

4:6  As you lay all these things before the brothers, you will be a noble minister of Christ Jesus, nourishing yourself in the precepts of the faith and that noble teaching which you have followed.

4:7  Ever reject these profane and old womanish myths; and continually train yourself for the contest of godliness.

4:8  For physical training is of some small service, but godliness is of service in everything; since it carries with it a promise of life, both here and hereafter.

4:9  Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation.

4:10  "We toil and agonize because our hopes are set on the ever-living God, who is the Saviour of all men. - of believers in particular.

4:11  Keep preaching and teaching these things.

4:12  Let no one despise you on account of your youth, but become an example for the faithful in word, in life, in love, in faith, in purity.

4:13  Be applying yourself until I come to public reading, preaching, and teaching.

4:14  Never neglect the gift within you, which was given in fulfilment of prophecy at the time of the laying on of hands by the elders.

4:15  Let these things be your care, give yourself wholly to them, so that your progress may be manifest to all.

4:16  Give heed to yourself and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Chapter 5

5:1  Do not reprimand an aged man, but continue pleading with him as if he were your father. Treat the young men as brothers,

5:2  the older women as mothers, the younger women as sisters in all purity.

5:3  Ever honor widows who are really widows;

5:4  but if any widow has children or grandchildren, let these learn to show their piety first toward their own household, and to make some return to their parents, for that is pleasing in God’s sight.

5:5  Now she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, has fixed her hope on God, and devotes herself to supplications and prayers, day and night.

5:6  But she who lives in wantonness is dead even while she still lives.

5:7  Keep admonishing them regarding these things, so that they may be irreproachable.

5:8  But if any one fails to provide for his own, and especially for his kindred, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel.

5:9  A widow, to be placed upon the list, must be not less than sixty years old, and one who has been the wife of but one husband.

5:10  She must be well reputed for good works, as one who has brought up a family, received strangers with hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, relieved the distressed, and diligently followed every good work.

5:11  But exclude from the list the younger widows; for where they have become wanton against Christ, they desire to marry,

5:12  and incur condemnation because they have broken their first troth.

5:13  Moreover, they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and are not only idlers, but gossips also, and busybodies, repeating things they ought not.

5:14  It is my wish, then, that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule their houses, and give no occasion to our adversary for railing.

5:15  For already some widows have gone astray after Satan.

5:16  Any believing woman, who has widowed relatives, ought to relieve them and not let the church be burdened with them; so that the church may relieve the really destitute widows.

5:17  Let the elders who fill their offices well, be held worthy of twofold honor; especially those who have the task of preaching and teaching.

5:18  For the Scripture says, You must not muzzle an ox when he is treading out the grain, and The worker is worth his wages.

5:19  Do not receive an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

5:20  Rebuke offenders publicly, so that others also may take warning.

5:21  I charge you solemnly in the presence of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ and of the elect angels, that you observe these things without prejudice against any man, and do nothing out of partiality.

5:22  Never ordain any one hastily, nor take part in the wrong-doing of others. Keep yourself pure.

5:23  Do not continue to drink nothing but water, but take a little wine for your stomach’s sake, and your frequent attacks of illness.

5:24  Some men’s sins are notorious, and lead them straight on the way to condemnation; but others’ sins follow them up.

5:25  So also noble deeds are conspicuous, and even if otherwise, they cannot be kept hidden.

Chapter 6

6:1  Let those who are under the yoke as slaves esteem their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teachings be not blasphemed.

6:2  Those whose masters are Christian believers must not treat them with disrespect, because they are brothers; nay, rather slave for them the better because those who get the benefit of their services are believing and beloved. Continue to teach and preach this.

6:3  If any one teaches heterodoxy, and refuses to consent to the wholesome words of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to the teachings of religion,

6:4  he is puffed up with conceit and knows nothing, but is doting about disputations and a strife of words. These give rise to envy, quarrels, railings, evil suspicions,

6:5  and wrangling between men whose minds are corrupt and destitute of the truth; who suppose that godliness is a source of gain.

6:6  Now godliness with contentment is truly gainful;

6:7  for we have brought nothing into the world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out!

6:8  So if we have food and shelter, let us be content with that.

6:9  Those who desire to be rich fall into the snares of temptation and many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

6:10  For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil; and in their eager desire to be rich some have been led astray form the faith, and have pierced themselves with many sorrows.

6:11  But you, O servant of God, flee from these things, and run after integrity, piety, faith, love, stedfastness, gentleness.

6:12  Keep contending in the noble contest of the faith; seize hold on eternal life, to which you were called when you confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

6:13  In the presence of God who gives life to all, and of Christ Jesus who bore witness to the good confession before Pontius Pilate,

6:14  I charge you, keep your commission spotless and irreproachable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

6:15  For in his own good time this will be brought about by that blessed and only potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords,

6:16  who alone possesses immortality, who dwells in light that none can approach, whom no man has ever seen or can see; to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.

6:17  Charge the rich of this world not to be supercilious, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in God, who provides all things richly for our use.

6:18  Charge them to practise benevolence, to be rich in good works, to be open-handed and generous,

6:19  laying up right good treasure for themselves in the world to come, in order that they may obtain the Life which is life indeed.

6:20  O, Timothy, guard the treasure which is committed to you. Shun the profane babblings and contradictions of the falsely called "knowledge"

6:21  which some professing have erred from the faith. Grace be with you.