Paul’s Greeting to Timothy (2 Timothy 1:1–2)
1 UDB God who saves us and Christ Jesus who gives us hope commanded that I, Paul, should be an apostle. BSB BSB: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2 UDB I am writing this to you, Timothy, and you are like a son to me by believing. I pray that God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind and merciful to you and that he will give you his peace. BSB BSB: To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Correcting False Teachers (Titus 1:10–16)
3 UDB When I went to Macedonia, I urged you to remain in Ephesus so that you would command certain men not to teach what is different from what we teach BSB BSB: As I urged you on my departure to Macedonia, you should stay on at Ephesus to instruct certain men not to teach false doctrines
4 UDB and not to give their time and attention to old useless stories and lists of ancestors that people never stop thinking about. These things only cause people to argue with each other but do not help them to know God's plan to save us—a plan that we know by faith. BSB BSB: or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.
5 UDB Instead, the purpose of what we command you to teach is to love God from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from faith that is sincere. BSB BSB: The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
6 UDB Some men have stopped trying to do these good things; instead, they are now saying useless things. BSB BSB: Some have strayed from these ways and turned aside to empty talk.
7 UDB They want to teach about the law, but they do not understand it. Yet they insist that what they teach is true. BSB BSB: They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or that which they so confidently assert.
8 UDB But we know that the law is good if we know how to use it according to what the law says. BSB BSB: Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately.
9 UDB We know that the law is not made for people who are right with God, but it condemns lawbreakers and those who are rebellious, it condemns those who are ungodly and those who are sinners, it condemns those who are worldly and profane, and it condemns those who would kill their fathers or their mothers and also those who would commit murder. BSB BSB: We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers,
11 UDB All of this agrees with the wonderful good news that God whom we praise has taught us and that he trusts me to announce to others. BSB BSB: that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.
God’s Grace to Paul 12 UDB I thank Christ Jesus our Lord because he strengthened me and appointed me to serve him since he judged that he could rely on me. BSB BSB: I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service.
13 UDB Not too long ago, I had insulted and persecuted those who believed in Christ. I acted with terrible violence against them, but God had mercy on me. At that time I did not know the truth of the gospel and I did not believe that Christ was the Savior. BSB BSB: I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
14 UDB God showed me his love—a wonderful love that I did not deserve—and he made me able to trust in Christ as my Savior and to love him because of the love that was in Christ. BSB BSB: And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 UDB Everyone should accept this fact because we can count on it completely: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. It is true that I am the worst sinner of all. BSB BSB: This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
16 UDB But because I am the worst sinner, God had mercy on me before many others so that they would see how patient he is. God is patiently waiting to give everlasting life to those who believe in him. BSB BSB: But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
17 UDB The eternal king cannot be seen, and he cannot die. He alone is God. It is he whom everyone will honor and praise forever and ever. Amen. BSB BSB: Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 UDB Timothy, my child, I command you: Remember what certain believers prophesied about you. Do this in order to follow those things as you work hard for the Lord. BSB BSB: Timothy, my child, I entrust you with this command in keeping with the previous prophecies about you, so that by them you may fight the good fight,
19 UDB Trust God and keep a good conscience. Some people have not paid attention to their own consciences. So what has happened to their faith is a disaster. BSB BSB: holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith.
20 UDB Hymenaeus and Alexander are two men like this. I have handed them over to Satan for him to attack them so that they may learn not to insult God. BSB BSB: Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.