2 Thessalonians 3 - 1 Timothy 4

English Standard Version

Pray for Us

3 Finally, brothers,^{[a] (A)}pray for us, that ^(B)the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored,^[b] as happened among you, ² and ^(C)that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For ^(D)not all have faith. ³ But ^(E)the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and ^(F)guard you against ^(G)the evil one.^{[c] 4} And ^(H)we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. ⁵ May the Lord ^(I)direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Warning Against Idleness

⁶ Now we command you, brothers, ^(J)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(K)that you keep away from any ^(L)brother ^(M)who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. ⁷ For you yourselves know ^(N)how you ought to imitate us, because ^(O)we were not idle when we were with you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but ^(P)with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ It was ^(Q)not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves ^(R)an example to imitate. ¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: ^(S)If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. ¹¹ For we hear that some among you ^(T)walk in idleness, not busy at work, but ^(U)busybodies. ¹² Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.^[d]

¹³ As for you, brothers, ^(V)do not grow weary in doing good. ¹⁴ If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and ^(W)have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. ^15 (X)Do not regard him as an enemy, but ^(Y)warn him as a brother.

Benediction

¹⁶ Now may ^(Z)the Lord of peace himself ^(AA)give you peace at all times in every way. ^(AB)The Lord be with you all.

¹⁷ I, Paul, write ^(AC)this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. ^18 (AD)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Greeting

1 Paul, ^(AE)an apostle of Christ Jesus ^(AF)by command of ^(AG)God our Savior and of Christ Jesus ^(AH)our hope,

² To Timothy, ^(AI)my true child in the faith:

^(AJ)Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Warning Against False Teachers

^3 (AK)As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not ^(AL)to teach any different doctrine, ⁴ nor ^(AM)to devote themselves to myths and endless ^(AN)genealogies, which promote ^(AO)speculations rather than the stewardship^[e] from God that is by faith. ⁵ The aim of our charge is love ^(AP)that issues from a pure heart and ^(AQ)a good conscience and ^(AR)a sincere faith. ⁶ Certain persons, by ^(AS)swerving from these, have wandered away into ^(AT)vain discussion, ⁷ desiring to be teachers of the law, ^(AU)without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

⁸ Now we know that ^(AV)the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹ understanding this, that the ^(AW)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, ¹⁰ the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,^[f] liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to ^(AX)sound^[g] doctrine, ¹¹ in accordance with ^(AY)the gospel of the glory of ^(AZ)the blessed God ^(BA)with which I have been entrusted.

Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners

¹² I thank him ^(BB)who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, ^(BC)appointing me to his service, ¹³ though formerly I was a blasphemer, ^(BD)persecutor, and insolent opponent. But ^(BE)I received mercy ^(BF)because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, ¹⁴ and ^(BG)the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the ^(BH)faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ The saying is ^(BI)trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus ^(BJ)came into the world to save sinners, ^(BK)of whom I am the foremost. ¹⁶ But 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. ¹⁷ To ^(BL)the King of the ages, ^(BM)immortal, ^(BN)invisible, ^(BO)the only God, ^(BP)be honor and glory forever and ever.^[h] Amen.

¹⁸ This charge ^(BQ)I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with ^(BR)the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may ^(BS)wage the good warfare, ^19 (BT)holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have ^(BU)made shipwreck of their faith, ²⁰ among whom are ^(BV)Hymenaeus and ^(BW)Alexander, whom I ^(BX)have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to ^(BY)blaspheme.

Pray for All People

2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, ^2 (BZ)for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and ^(CA)dignified in every way. ³ This is good, and ^(CB)it is pleasing in the sight of ^(CC)God our Savior, ⁴ who desires ^(CD)all people to be saved and ^(CE)to come to ^(CF)the knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For ^(CG)there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man^[i] Christ Jesus, ^6 (CH)who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is ^(CI)the testimony given ^(CJ)at the proper time. ^7 (CK)For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (^(CL)I am telling the truth, I am not lying), ^(CM)a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸ I desire then that ^(CN)in every place the men should pray, ^(CO)lifting ^(CP)holy hands without anger or quarreling; ⁹ likewise also ^(CQ)that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, ^10 (CR)but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. ¹¹ Let a woman learn quietly ^(CS)with all submissiveness. ^12 (CT)I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. ^13 (CU)For Adam was formed first, ^(CV)then Eve; ¹⁴ and Adam was not deceived, but ^(CW)the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. ¹⁵ Yet she will be saved through ^(CX)childbearing—if they continue in ^(CY)faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Qualifications for Overseers

3 The saying is ^(CZ)trustworthy: If anyone aspires to ^(DA)the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. ² Therefore ^(DB)an overseer^[j] must be above reproach, ^(DC)the husband of one wife,^{[k] (DD)}sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, ^(DE)hospitable, ^(DF)able to teach, ³ not a drunkard, not violent but ^(DG)gentle, not quarrelsome, ^(DH)not a lover of money. ⁴ He must manage his own household well, with all dignity ^(DI)keeping his children submissive, ⁵ for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for ^(DJ)God's church? ⁶ He must not be a recent convert, or he may ^(DK)become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷ Moreover, he must be well thought of by ^(DL)outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into ^(DM)a snare of the devil.

Qualifications for Deacons

^8 (DN)Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued,^{[l] (DO)}not addicted to much wine, ^(DP)not greedy for dishonest gain. ⁹ They must ^(DQ)hold the mystery of the faith with ^(DR)a clear conscience. ¹⁰ And ^(DS)let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. ^11 (DT)Their wives likewise^[m] must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, ^(DU)faithful in all things. ¹² Let deacons each be ^(DV)the husband of one wife, ^(DW)managing their children and their own households well. ¹³ For ^(DX)those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Godliness

¹⁴ I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, ¹⁵ if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. ¹⁶ Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

Some Will Depart from the Faith

4 Now ^(ED)the Spirit expressly says that ^(EE)in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to ^(EF)deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, ² through the insincerity of ^(EG)liars whose consciences are seared, ^3 (EH)who forbid marriage and ^(EI)require abstinence from foods ^(EJ)that God created ^(EK)to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴ For ^(EL)everything created by God is good, and ^(EM)nothing is to be rejected if it is ^(EN)received with thanksgiving, ⁵ for it is made holy ^(EO)by the word of God and prayer.

A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

^6 (EP)If you put these things before the brothers,^[q] you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have ^(EQ)followed. ⁷ Have nothing to do with irreverent, ^(ER)silly myths. Rather ^(ES)train yourself for godliness; ⁸ for while ^(ET)bodily training is of some value, godliness ^(EU)is of value in every way, as ^(EV)it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. ⁹ The saying is ^(EW)trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. ¹⁰ For to this end we toil and strive,^[r] because we have our hope set on the living God, ^(EX)who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach ^(EY)these things. ^12 (EZ)Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers ^(FA)an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. ^14 (FB)Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you ^(FC)by prophecy when the council of elders ^(FD)laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Practice these things, immerse yourself in them,^[s] so that ^(FE)all may see your progress. ^16 (FF)Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save ^(FG)both yourself and ^(FH)your hearers.