1^st Timothy

Agreeing with God

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1^st Timothy 1

Greetings

¹I so appreciate Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to Your commandment, O God our Savior, and Christ Jesus our hope. ²I also appreciate Timothy, Paul’s true child in faith. I am grateful for the grace, mercy, and peace, that comes from You, my Father, and from Christ Jesus my Lord.

³I agree that Paul urged Timothy, when he was going into Macedonia, to stay at Ephesus that he might command certain people to not teach a different doctrine, ⁴neither to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than Your stewardship, which is in faith.

Love

⁵I agree that the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith. ⁶I concur that from these things some people have missed the mark and have turned aside to vain talking.

Law and Faith

⁷I understand that some people desire to be famous teachers of the law, though they do not understand what those laws really mean.⁸But I know that the law is good, if a person uses it lawfully. ⁹I also know this, that law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, ¹⁰for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine; ¹¹according to the Good News of Your glory, O blessed God, which was committed to my trust like it was to Paul’s trust.

¹²And I (like Paul) thank Him who enabled me, Christ Jesus my Lord, because He counted me faithful, appointing me to service; ¹³although I was (like Paul) before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I (like him) obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

Grace

¹⁴I agree that Your grace, O Lord, abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵I agree that the saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I (like Paul) am chief. ¹⁶However, for this cause I also obtained mercy, that in me also, Jesus Christ might display all His patience, for an example of those who were going to believe in Him for eternal life.

Benediction

¹⁷Now to You, the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, to You the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Timothy

¹⁸I accept that this instruction Paul committed  to his child Timothy, according to the prophecies which prepared Timothy, that by them he might wage the good warfare;

¹⁹clinging to his faith and his good conscience.

I understand that some people have disobeyed their consciences and have made a shipwreck concerning the faith; ²⁰of whom was Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom Paul delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

 

1^st Timothy 2 Prayer

¹Therefore, I agree and also exhort (as Paul did), first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all people: ²for kings and all who are in high places; that I may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence.

³For this is good and acceptable in Your sight, O God our Savior. ⁴I agree that You desire all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth.

⁵For I affirm that You are the one God, and that there is one mediator between You and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶Who gave Himself as a ransom for us all. This testimony came in its own time. ⁷I agree that Paul was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I know that he was telling the truth in Christ, not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸I (like Paul) desire, therefore, that the people in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting. ⁹In the same way, I agree that women should also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety; not just with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing; ¹⁰but with the things that become women professing godliness which are good works.

Women

¹¹I agree to let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection. ¹²But I also agree to not permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness. ¹³For Adam was first formed, then Eve. ¹⁴Adam was not deceived, but the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience; ¹⁵but I agree that she will be saved through her childbearing, if she continues in faith, love, and sanctification with sobriety.

 

1^st Timothy 3

Elder, Overseer, Bishop

¹I agree that it is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer, he desires a good work. ²I also agree that an overseer, therefore, must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching; ³not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; ⁴one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence; ⁵(but if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of Your assembly, O God?) ⁶not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil fell into. ⁷Moreover, I agree that he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the devil trap him.

Deacon, Servant

⁸I agree that deacon servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money; ⁹holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. ¹⁰I agree that they should also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless. ¹¹I agree that their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. ¹²I agree that a deacon servant be the husband of one wife, ruling his children and his own house well. ¹³For I affirm that those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

The Church

¹⁴I agree that these things Paul wrote to Timothy, hoping to come to him shortly; ¹⁵but in case he could not come soon, I believe that he wanted Timothy to know how people ought to behave themselves in Your house, O God, which is Your church, O living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

The Gospel

^[1]6I agree that without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great:

God, You were revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

 

 

1^st Timothy 4 The Last Days

in their own conscience as with a hot iron; ³forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which You created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Living in Christ

⁴For I agree that every one of Your creatures is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving. ⁵For I agree that it is sanctified through Your word, O God, and prayer.

⁶I agree that if I instruct my Christian siblings of these things, I will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which I have followed.

⁷But I agree to refuse profane and old wives’ fables. I choose to exercise myself toward godliness. ⁸For I realize that bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.

⁹I agree that this saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance. ¹⁰For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we have set our trust in You, the living God, Who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of those who believe. ¹¹I commit to command and teach these things.

¹²I agree that no person is to despise youth; but youth is to be an example to those who believe, in word, in way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.

¹³Until Jesus comes I agree to pay attention to the public reading of scripture with explanation and teaching. ¹⁴I agree to not neglect the gift that is in me, which was given to me (like Timothy) by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders. ¹⁵I agree to be diligent in these things and give myself wholly to them, that my progress may be revealed to all.

¹⁶I agree to pay attention to myself, and to my teaching; to continue in these things, for in doing this I will save both myself and those who hear me.

1^st Timothy 5

¹I agree to not rebuke an older man, but to exhort him as a father; the younger men as brothers; ²the elder women as mothers; the younger women as sisters, in all purity.

Widows

³I agree to honor widows who are widows indeed. ⁴But if any widow has children or grandchildren, I agree to let them learn first to show compassion towards their own family, and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in Your sight, O God. ⁵Now, she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, has her hope set on You, and continues in petitions and prayers night and day, I agree for the church to help her.

⁶But I agree that she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives. ⁷Also, I agree to command these things, that they may be without reproach. ⁸But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, I agree that he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹I agree that no one be enrolled as a widow under sixty years old, and unless she has been the wife of one man, ¹⁰being approved by good works, unless she has brought up children, unless she has been hospitable to strangers, unless she has washed the saints’ feet, unless she has relieved the afflicted, and unless she has diligently followed every good work.

¹¹But I agree to refuse younger widows, for when they have grown wanton against Christ, they desire to marry; ¹²having condemnation, because they have rejected their first pledge. ¹³Besides, I agree that they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.

¹⁴I (like Paul) desire, therefore, that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary to say anything bad about them. ¹⁵For I am already aware that some have turned aside after Satan. ¹⁶If any man or woman who believes has widows, I agree for them to support them, and not let the assembly be burdened; that it might relieve those who are widows indeed.

Paid Ministry

¹⁷I agree to let the elders who rule well be paid well and appreciated, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching. ¹⁸For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox when it treads out the grain.” And, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

¹⁹I agree to not receive an accusation against an elder, except at the word of two or three witnesses. ²⁰Those who sin, I agree to reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear. ²¹I agree in Your sight, O God, and in the sight of Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels, to observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.

²²I agree to not hastily choose a leader, neither to overlook his sins and thus signal approval of his sins. I choose to keep myself pure. ²³I am free (like Timothy) to be no longer a drinker of water only, but to use a little wine as medicine for my stomach’s sake and for times that I am sick.

²⁴I agree that some people’s sins are evident, preceding them to judgment, and some also follow later. ²⁵In the same way also I agree that there are good works that are obvious, and other good deeds that are hidden until long afterwards.

1^st Timothy 6 Slaves, Servants, Employees

¹I agree that as many of us who are bondservants under the yoke should count our own masters worthy of all honor, that Your name and Your doctrine not be blasphemed. ²I concur that those who have believing masters, should not despise them, because they are brothers, but rather may they serve them, because those who partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. I agree to teach and exhort these things.

False Teachers

³I agree that if anyone teaches a different doctrine, and does not consent to sound words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, ⁴he is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles, from which come envy, strife, insulting, evil suspicions, ⁵constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. I choose to withdraw myself from such people.

Contentment

⁶But I agree that godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For I confess that I brought nothing into the world, and I certainly cannot carry anything out. ⁸But having food and clothing, I choose to be content with that.

⁹But I agreed that those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown people in ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For I realize that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. I agree that some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

The Good Confession

¹¹But I agree, Father, to flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. ¹²I choose to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold of the eternal life to which I was called, and I am confessing the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.

¹³I agree before You, the God Who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, Who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession, ¹⁴that I keep the commandment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of my Lord Jesus Christ.

Benediction

¹⁵In due season Jesus will show You to be the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; ¹⁶Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; Whom no person has seen, nor can see: to You be honor and eternal power. Amen.

Rich & Poor

¹⁷I agree to charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be haughty, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on You, the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy; ¹⁸that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate; ¹⁹laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.

Living in Christ

²⁰Like Timothy, I agree to guard that which is committed to me, turning away from religious discussions, arguments, and debates; ²¹which some people do and miss the most important thing which is knowing and believing You. Thank You that grace is with me. Amen.

[1] But I agree that Your Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, ²through the hypocrisy of people who speak lies, branded