THE FIRST EPISTLE

OF THE

APOSTLE PAUL,

ΤΟ

TIMOTHY.

1.

PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the ap 2 pointment of God our Saviour, and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope; to Timothy, my genuine son by belief, be favour, mercy, peace from God our father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3

As I entreated thee, when I was going to Macedonia, to continue at Ephesus; that thou mightest charge certain per4 sons not to teach a different doctrine, nor pay attention to fables and endless genealogies, which rather promote disputes 5 than the godly edification, which is by faith: Now the end of

that charge is love, from a pure heart, and good conscience, 6 and an unfeigned belief; from which some having swerved, 7 have turned aside to vain discourse, desiring to be teachers

of the law, not understanding what they say, nor about what 8 they are so positive. We know indeed that the law is good, if 9 one use it as a law, considering this, that law is not enact

ed for a righteous man, but for the lawless and refractory; for the impious and sinful; for the immoral and profane; 10 for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers; for homicides, fornicators, sodomites, enslavers of men, liars, perjured persons, and whatever else is contrary to the wholesome doc11 trine according to the glorious glad tidings of the blessed God 12 with which I have been intrusted, and am thankful to Christ

Jesus our Lord who qualified me; for his counting me faith

13 ful, putting into office me who was before a reviler, and a persecutor, and an outrageous offender: but I obtained mercy 14 because I acted ignorantly, in unbelief. And this favour of

our Lord superabounded with faith and love which is by 15 Christ Jesus. This is a faithful word and worthy of all accep

tation, That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners 16 of whom I am a chief; but I obtained mercy for this purpose, that Jesus Christ might display the utmost forbearance in me, a chief, for an example to them who should afterwards trust 17 in him for everlasting life. Now to the king of the ages-the incorruptible, invisible, only wise God, be honour and glory, for the ages of the ages. Amen.

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This charge I commit to thee, son Timothy, according to the preceding gifts of prophesying conferred on thee, that by them thou mayst carry on this good warfare, having faith 19 and a good conscience, which last some having discarded, they have, in respect to the faith, suffered shipwreck, of which number are Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered over to satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

II. I therefore exhort thee first of all, that supplications, pray2 ers, intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men-for

kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet 3 and peaceable life with all piety and honesty; for this is good 4 and acceptable in the sight of God our saviour, who willeth all

men to be saved, and to come to an acknowledgment of truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and 6 men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for 7 all-as the testimony for his own times; for which I have been

appointed a herald and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, 8 I do not lie) a teacher of nations in belief and truth. I there

fore give it in charge that the men pray in every place, lifting. up holy hands, without wrath and surmise: in like manner al, 9 so, that the women adorn themselves in comely apparel,

with bashful modesty-not with curls, or gold, or pearls, or 10 costly array; but with good works, as it becometh women who 11 profess a reverence for God. Let women learn in quietness 12 with all submission. For I do not allow a woman to teach or 13 to usurp authority over man, but to be in quietness. For

14 Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceiv15 ed: but the woman being deceived was in transgression, but to be saved by the child birth, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification, with a sober mind. This is a faithful word.

III.

If any one desireth the office of an overseer, he desireth a 2 good work. The overseer therefore ought to be blameless, the 3 husband of one wife, sober, discreet, well behaved, hospitable, qualified to teach, not addicted to wine, no striker, not attach4 ed to sordid gain, but of a gentle disposition, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, one who presideth well over his own household, having his children in due subordination, with all 5 gravity, (for if one doth not know how to preside over his 6 own household, how can he take care of the congregation of

God;) not one newly converted, lest, being lifted up with pride, 7 he fall into the condemnation of the devil. He ought also to have a good character from those without, that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Almoners in like manner should be grave, not double9 tongued, not addicted to much wine, not attached to sordid 10 gain, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience;

and let even such be first tried, then, if found blameless, let 11 them exercise the office of almoners.* Women in like man12 ner should be grave, not addicted to slander, sober, faithful in all things. Let almoners be the husbands of one wife, presid ing well over their children and their own households; for they 13 who discharge the office of an almoner well, acquire for themselves an honourable rank, and much freedom of speech in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14.

These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee in a 15 little time; but if I be delayed, that thou mayst know how thou oughtest to conduct thyself in the house of God, that is in the congregation of the living God.

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The pillar and firm support of the truth is (and unques

* From Romans 16. 1, it appears that women as well as men were employed as almoners, and from the customs and manners of the Greeks it could not be otherwise.

tionably great is the mystery of this religion,) God hath been manifested in flesh, justified by spirit, hath appeared to messen. gers, been proclaimed among nations, believed on in the world, IV. taken up in glory. But the spirit saith expressly that in latter times some will apostatise from this belief, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines concerning demons, through 2 the hypocrisy of liars, who have their own conscience seared, 3 forbidding marriage, and enjoining an abstinence from meats which God hath created to be partaken of with thankfulness by the faithful, and by them who are convinced of this truth, 4 that every thing which God created is good, and nothing to be 5 rejected; for when taken with thankfulness it is sanctified by 6 the permission* of God and prayer. By suggesting these things

to the brethren thou wilt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished by the words of this belief, and this good doctrine, 7 which thou hast followed. But as for vain and groundless fa8 bles, reject them, and exercise thyself for godliness. For bodily exercise is of little service, but this godliness is profitable for all things, having a promise of the present life and of that 9 to come. This is a faithful word and worthy of all acceptation; 10 for it is for this that we both labour and suffer reproach, because we have trusted in the living God, who is the saviour of all men, especially of the faithful:

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Announce these things and teach them. Let none despise 12 thy youth; but be thou a pattern to the faithful in doctrine, 13 in behaviour, in love, in spirit, in fidelity, in purity. Until I 14 come apply thyself to reading, to exhortation, to teaching.

Neglect not the gift which is in thee, which was given thee by prophesy with the laying on of the hands of the assembled 15 elders. Meditate on these things; be intent upon them. That 16 thy improvement in all things may be manifest, take heed to thyself and to thy doctrine; continue in them; for by doing this thou wilt save thyself and them who hearken to thee.

V.

Rebuke not an aged man with sharpness; but admonish 2 him as a father; young men, as brothers; aged women, as mo-.

*Literally, word, alluding, I presume, to the liberty granted to Noe and his offspring to eat flesh.

3 thers; young women, as sisters, with all purity. Honour wi4 dows who are widows indeed. But if any widow hath children, or grand children; let these first learn to respect their own household, and to make suitable returns to their parents; for this is good and acceptable in the sight of the Lord. 5 Now she, who being really a widow and desolate, hath trusted in God, will continue in her supplications and prayers 6 night and day; but she, who indulgeth herself in sensuality, 7 is dead, though she liveth. Announce these things, that they 8 may be irreprehensible. Now if any one doth not provide for his own, and especially for those of his family, he hath renounced his belief, and is worse than an infidel.

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Let no widow under sixty years old be put on the list. 10 Having been the wife of one man, is she eminent for good works? Hath she brought up children? Hath she exercised hospitality? Hath she washed the feet of the saints? Hath she assisted the afflicted? Hath she been assiduous to perform every 11 good work? As for young widows, reject them; for when they

become impatient of the restraints of the Christ, they will wish 12 to marry, incurring blame for having violated their former en13 gagement. Add to this, that, being idle, they learn to ramble from house to house, and are not only idle, but are indeed tatlers, and intermedlers, speaking things which are unbecom14 ing. My decision therefore is, that the younger widows marry, bear children, govern their families, give no advantage, no 15 occasion of reproach to the adversary. For some have already turned aside after satan..

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If any believer of either sex hath widows, let him or her relieve them, and let not the congregation be burdened, that they may relieve them who are really widows.

17 Let the elders who preside well be accounted worthy of 18 double honour, especially they who labour in word and doctrine; for the scripture saith, "Thou shalt not muzzle an ox treading out corn,*" and, "The labourer is worthy of his wages.+"

19 Receive not an accusation against an elder, but on the tes