Bible in 90 Days

1 Paul, Silvanus,^[a] and Timothy to the church gathering in Thessalonica, those living in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus the Anointed.

May grace and peace be yours [from God our Father and the Lord Jesus the Anointed].^[b]

² We always thank God for all of you in our prayers. ³ Your actions on behalf of the true faith, your tireless toil of love, and your unfailing, unwavering, unending hope in our Lord Jesus the Anointed before God our Father have put you consistently at the forefront of our thoughts. ⁴ O brothers and sisters loved by God, we know He has chosen you. ⁵ And here is why: what you experienced in the good news we brought you was more than words channeling down your ears; it came to you as a life-empowering, Spirit-infused message that offers complete hope and assurance! We lived transparently before you so that you would know what sort of people we truly are. We did it for your sake, ⁶ and you have modeled your lives after ours just as we are modeling ours after the Lord. You took to heart the word we taught with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, even in the face of trouble. ⁷ As a result, you have turned into a model of faith yourselves for all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. ⁸ In fact, not only has the message of our Lord thundered from your gathering into Macedonia and Achaia, but everywhere we go, your faith in God is talked about so we don’t even have to say a thing! ⁹ You see, they go on and on telling us the story of how you welcomed us when we were introduced to you; how you turned toward God and realigned your life to serve the one true living God—leaving your idols to crumble in the dust— ¹⁰ and how you now await the return from heaven of His Son, whom He raised from the dead—namely, Jesus—our rescuer from the wrath to come.

2 Brothers and sisters, you yourselves know that our coming to you was not a waste of time. ² You remember how we had just suffered through brutal and insulting attacks in Philippi; but because of God, we boldly stepped into the open to tell you His good news, even though it would likely mean more conflict for us. ³ For we haven’t approached you—or anyone else for that matter—with some error or impure motives or deceitful agenda; ⁴ but as we have been approved by God and entrusted with the good news, that’s how we are telling the world. We aren’t trying to please everybody, but God, the only One who can truly examine our motives. ⁵ As you know, we didn’t sandwich the truth between cunning compliments—we told it straight—and before the eye of God, we never conspired to make a single cent off of you. ⁶ We didn’t come seeking respect from people—not from you or anyone else—although we could have leveraged our position as emissaries^[c] of the Anointed One, the Liberating King. ⁷ Instead, we proved to be gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her own children. ⁸ We were so taken by you that we not only eagerly shared with you God’s good news, but we also shared with you our own lives. That’s how much you’ve come to mean to us.

⁹ Don’t you remember, my brothers and sisters, how hard we worked and struggled? We worked day and night so that we wouldn’t be a burden to any of you and so that we could continue to proclaim to you the good news of God. ¹⁰ Both you and God can confirm how well we treated the believers: we were always holy, just, and blameless. ^11-12 As you know, we comforted and consoled each of you as a father soothes his own children, encouraging you to live lives worthy of God—of the One calling you into His own kingdom and into His glory.

¹³ So we have good reason to give thanks to God without pausing. For you have taken into yourselves the word of God we brought to you and received it as a message from God—not just something whipped up by someone like you or us—and that word is at work in you who believe. ¹⁴ And, brothers and sisters, you even became imitators of the churches of God in Jesus the Anointed that gather in Judea because you were willing to suffer at the hands of your own countrymen as they suffered from the unbelieving Judeans. ¹⁵ These are the same people who killed the Lord Jesus, as well as the prophets, and continued attacking until they drove all of us out. They don’t just offend God; they are clearly hostile to the rest of the people ¹⁶ because they are trying to silence our life-saving message to the nations; and as a result, their sins are always filling up and overflowing. But in the end, they will face God’s wrath.

¹⁷ Brothers and sisters, we are like orphans, separated from you for a short time (in presence, yes, but not in heart); and we desperately desire to see your faces again. ¹⁸ However, as much as we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, assure you we tried again and again—Satan thwarted our plans. ¹⁹ For what is our true hope, our true joy, our victor’s crown in all this? It is nothing if it isn’t you standing before our Lord Jesus the Anointed at His arrival. ²⁰ You are our glory! You are our joy!

3 But after all our attempts to come to you were frustrated, we decided it was best for Silvanus^[d] and me to stay behind in Athens by ourselves ² and to send Timothy (our dear brother [and servant of God],^[e] our partner in the good news of the Anointed One) to strengthen, comfort, and encourage you in your faith ³ so that you won’t be shaken by the sufferings and wither under this stress that we know lies ahead. ⁴ Certainly you remember that when we were with you, we warned you of the suffering we would have to endure; now, as you well know, it has happened. ⁵ This is why I couldn’t stand it anymore and sent Timothy to report on the state of your faith: because I was worried the tempter had tested you and, if so, all of our hard work would have come to nothing.

⁶ You can imagine my relief and joy when Timothy returned to us with such good news about you, about your faith and love for us, about how you have such good memories of us and long to see us as much as we long to see you. ⁷ Hearing this about your faith, brothers and sisters, brought comfort to us in our stress-filled days of trouble and suffering. ⁸ For if you are set firmly in the Lord, then we can truly live. ⁹ What thanks would ever be enough to offer God about you for all the jubilant celebration we’ll feel before our God because of you? ¹⁰ We remain vigilant in our prayers, night and day praying to once again see your faces and to help complete whatever may be lacking in your faith.

¹¹ May God Himself, our Father, along with our Lord Jesus, [the Anointed One,]^[f] navigate our way to you. ¹² May the Lord flood you with an unending, undying love for one another and for all humanity, like our love for you, ¹³ so that your hearts will be reinforced with His strength, held blameless and holy before God, our Father, when our Lord Jesus, [the Anointed, the Liberating King,]^[g] appears along with all His holy ones. [Amen.]^[h]

4 So finally, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus, we ask you, we beg you to remember what we have taught you: live a life that is pleasing to God as you are already doing. Yes, we urge you to keep living and thriving in that life! ² For you know the instructions we gave you, instructions that came through the Lord Jesus. ³ Now this is God’s will for you: set yourselves apart and live holy lives; avoid polluting yourselves with sexual defilement. ⁴ Learn how to take charge over your own body, maintaining purity and honor. ⁵ Don’t let the swells of lustful passion run your life as they do the outsiders who don’t know God. ⁶ Don’t violate or take advantage of a fellow believer in such matters. As we told you before and warned you: the Lord will settle the score with anyone who does these things. ⁷ Here’s why: God does not call us to live impure, adulterous, scandalous lives, but to seek holiness and purity. ⁸ If you ignore this message, then you’re not only rejecting us but you’re rejecting God, the One who has given His Holy Spirit to live in you.

⁹ Now there’s no need for us to send you instructions on caring for your faith family because God Himself has already taught you how to love outside yourselves. ¹⁰ And it’s evident you learned that lesson well by the way you love all the people of Macedonia. Brothers and sisters, we urge you to love even more ¹¹ and make it your goal to lead a peaceful life, mind your own business, and keep your hands busy in your work, as we have instructed you. ¹² That way you will live peacefully with those on the outside, and all your needs will be met without depending on others.

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we want you to be fully informed about those who have fallen asleep in death so that you will not be overwhelmed with grief like those who live outside of the true hope. ¹⁴ Here’s what we believe: since Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, God will bring with Jesus all who have died through Him. ¹⁵ For we can say all this to you confidently because it is the word of the Lord: we who are still alive and left behind when the Lord comes will not precede those who have fallen asleep in death. ¹⁶ On that day, with a command that thunders into the world, with a voice of a chief heavenly messenger, and with a blast of God’s trumpet, the Lord Himself will descend from heaven; and all those who died in the Anointed One, our Liberating King, will rise from the dead first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and left behind will be snatched up together with them into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. This is how we, the resurrected and the living, will be with Him forever. ¹⁸ So comfort one another with this hope, and encourage one another with these words.

5 Now, brothers and sisters, you don’t need further instruction from us or anyone else for that matter regarding how the seasons and times will play out. ² That’s because you know the truth well enough. The day of the Lord will race onto the scene and surprise us like a thief in the night. ³ People will be going about their business chanting, “All is well! All is at peace!” and in the next moment, ruin and destruction will suddenly seize them as labor pains grip a woman about to give birth; for them there will be no escape. ⁴ My brothers and sisters, it will be different for you. You do not dwell in the darkness, so that day will not surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you are all children of light. You are sons and daughters of the day. We are not created of night, nor are we owned by darkness. ⁶ So then let’s not give in to sleep or wander around in a stupor as some do, but let’s stay awake and in control. ⁷ You see, sleepers sleep through the night, and drunkards drink the night away; ⁸ but since we belong to the day, we should stay sober and in control, covered with a breastplate of faith and love and a helmet of the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us, His chosen, to face His wrath but to be the heirs of salvation through our Lord Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, ¹⁰ who died for us. So regardless of whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. ¹¹ So support one another. Keep building each other up as you have been doing.

¹² Brothers and sisters, we ask you to show appreciation to those who are working hard among you and those who are your leaders as they guide and instruct you in the Lord—they are priceless. ¹³ When you think about them, let it be with great love in your heart because of all the work they have done. Let peace live and reign among you.

¹⁴ Brothers and sisters, we strongly advise you to scold the rebels who devote their lives to wreaking havoc, to encourage the downcast, to help the sick and weak, and to be patient with all of them. ¹⁵ Make sure no one returns evil for evil, but always pursue what is good as it affects one another in the church but also all people. ¹⁶ Celebrate always, ¹⁷ pray constantly, and ¹⁸ give thanks to God no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. (This is God’s will for all of you in Jesus the Anointed.) ¹⁹ Don’t suppress the Spirit. ²⁰ Don’t downplay prophecies. ²¹ Take a close look at everything, test it, then cling to what is good. ²² Put away every form of evil.

²³ So now, may the God of peace make you His own completely and set you apart from the rest. May your spirit, soul, and body be preserved, kept intact and wholly free from any sort of blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus the Anointed. ²⁴ For the God who calls you is faithful, and He can be trusted to make it so.

²⁵ Brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. ²⁶ Greet one another warmly with a holy kiss. ²⁷ Here is my charge to you before the Lord: have this letter read to all our brothers and sisters [in the faith].^{[i] 28} May the grace of our Lord Jesus, God’s Anointed, be with all of you.

1 Paul, Silvanus,^[j] and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians that gathers in God our Father and in the Lord Jesus the Anointed. ² May grace and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus the Anointed be with you.

³ Brothers and sisters, we cannot help but thank God for you, which is only appropriate because your faith is growing and expanding and because the love demonstrated by each and every one of you is overflowing for one another. ⁴ So, of course, we’ve proudly bragged about you within circles of God’s people at other churches near and far because, even in the grip of much persecution and affliction, you’ve stood firm in your faith and have persevered. ⁵ Your sufferings prove that God’s judgment is right! The result: your sufferings have made you worthy—worthy of the kingdom of God, which is the very reason why you are suffering in the first place! ⁶ It is only right that God would repay with trouble those who have troubled you ^7-8 and give relief to all of you still bandaging your wounds, as well as to all the rest of us. On that day—when the clouds draw back displaying His powerful heavenly messengers in a fiery blaze, Jesus the Lord will appear from heaven dealing out perfect justice to anyone who doesn’t know God and anyone who disobeys the good news of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ And what’s to become of them? They’ll pay for what they’ve done; their punishment will be eternal destruction. And what’s worse? They’ll be banished from the Lord’s presence and glorious power. ¹⁰ On that day when He comes, all the saints in heaven and on earth will celebrate the glory of His power, and all who believe will stand and be amazed—this includes you because you believed us when we testified on His behalf. ¹¹ All this is why we are constantly praying for you, so God will make you worthy of the great calling you have received from Him and will give you the power to accomplish every good intention and work of faith. ¹² Then the great name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified through your lives, and you will be glorified in Him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, our Liberating King.

2 Since, brothers and sisters, we are on the topic of the coming of our Lord Jesus the Anointed and how we will all gather together to meet Him, we ask ² that you don’t let your minds get quickly rattled or become anxious because of someone else’s so-called “spiritual revelation” or because someone gave you a message or claimed to know of a letter allegedly from us reporting that the day of the Lord has already come! ³ Don’t be deceived by anyone! That day, that amazing day, won’t come until after the great rebellion and the unveiling of the rebellious one.^[k] As the spawn of death, he delights in destruction. ⁴ He sets himself up as the great adversary of God and vies for a place above all other so-called gods or objects of worship. If it were possible, he would even take a seat—yes, exalt himself—in the temple of the one true God, declaring that he himself is God! ⁵ Don’t you remember me telling you all this the last time we were together? ⁶ You know what restrains him now and what will hold him until the exact time when he will be revealed. ⁷ For the mystery of sin is already working its way through the world; He who holds him back now will continue to suppress him only until He is pulled out of the way. ⁸ It is then that this rebellious one will be finally unleashed. But the Lord will slay him with the breath of His mouth; and with the splendor of His coming, He will bring him to his predetermined end. ⁹ Still the rebellious one arrives with all sorts of power, performing signs and fake miracles sanctioned by Satan; ¹⁰ he employs every manner of wicked deception to wile away those who are destined for eternal death because they reject the love of the truth that leads to salvation. ¹¹ Because of this, God sends a deceptive influence over them so they will wander from the truth and believe the lie. ¹² As a result, God will judge all of those who did not entrust themselves to the truth when it faced them but instead reveled in wickedness.

¹³ But this is not you, dearly beloved brothers and sisters of the Lord. We cannot help but thank God for you at all times, because from the beginning He handpicked you for salvation through the Spirit’s sanctifying work and your belief in the truth. ¹⁴ He called you to this when we shared our good news with you. Now you can take part in the glory of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King. ¹⁵ So, brothers and sisters, all you need to do now is stand firm and hold tight to the line of teachings we have passed on to you, whether in person or in a letter. ^16-17 Now may our Lord Jesus (the Anointed One Himself) and God our Father (who has loved us, comforted us eternally, and given us a good hope by His grace) bring comfort to your hearts and strengthen your wills to accomplish every good work and word.

3 Brothers and sisters, having shared all this, let me ask you to pray for us. Pray that this message of the Lord will spread quickly and receive the praise and respect it deserves from others as it has with you. ² Pray also that we would all be rescued from the snares of harmful, wicked people—after all, not all people are believing. ³ Still, the Lord is true to His promises; He will hold you up and guard you against the evil one. ⁴ We do not doubt the Lord’s intentions for you; we are confident that you are carrying out, and will continue to carry out, the commands we are sending your way. ⁵ May the Lord guide your hearts into God’s pure love and keep you headed straight into the strong and sure grip of the Anointed One.

⁶ For the sake of the church, brothers and sisters, we insist in the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed that you withdraw from any brother or sister who is out of order and unwilling to work, who is straying from the line of teaching we passed on to all of you. ⁷ You know how essential it is to imitate us in the way we live life. We were never undisciplined ⁸ nor did we take charity from anyone while we were with you. Instead, you saw how we worked very hard day and night so we wouldn’t be a burden to even one person in the community. ⁹ We had the right to depend on your help and hospitality, as you know; but we wanted to give you a model you could follow, to lay a path of footprints for you to walk in. ¹⁰ This is exactly why, while with you, we commanded you: “Anyone not willing to work shouldn’t get to eat!” ¹¹ You see, we are hearing that some folks in the community are out of step with our teaching; they are idle, not working, but really busy doing nothing—and yet still expect to be fed! ¹² If this is you or someone else in the community, we insist and urge you in the Lord Jesus the Anointed that you go to work quietly, earn your keep, put food on your own table, and supply your own necessities. ¹³ And to the rest of you, brothers and sisters, never grow tired of doing good.

¹⁴ If someone disregards the instructions of this letter, make a note of who it is and don’t have anything to do with that person so that this one may be shamed. ¹⁵ Don’t consider someone like this an enemy (he is an enemy only to himself) but warn him as if you were redirecting your own brother.

¹⁶ And now, dear friends, may the Lord of peace Himself grace you with peace always and in everything. May the Lord be present with all of you.

¹⁷ This final greeting is by me, Paul, written by my own hand. This is my signature, letting you know that this is a genuine letter from me, and so I write to you:

¹⁸ May the grace of our Lord Jesus the Anointed be with all of you.

1 Paul, an emissary^[l] of Jesus the Anointed commissioned by order of God our Savior and Jesus the Anointed, our living and certain hope), ² to you, Timothy, my true son in the faith.

May the grace, mercy, and peace that come only from God the Father and our Lord Jesus the Anointed mark your life.

³ As I said that day I left for Macedonia, stay in Ephesus and instruct the unruly people in the church, once and for all, to stop teaching a different doctrine. ⁴ Tell them to turn away from fables and endless genealogies. These activities just cause more arguments and confusion. Instead, they should concern themselves with welcoming in and bringing about the reign of God, which is all about faith. ⁵ Our teaching about this journey is intended to bring us to a single destination—a place where self-giving love reigns from a pure heart, a clean conscience, and a genuine faith. ⁶ Yes, some have walked away from these traits and have fallen into a life of endless blabber and nonsense— ⁷ they wish to become scholars of the law, but they don’t know what they are talking about, and they make these grand pronouncements but clearly don’t understand what they just said.

⁸ You and I know the law is good (if used in the right way), and ⁹ we also know the law was not designed for law-abiding people but for lawbreakers and criminals, the ungodly and sin-filled, the unholy and worldly, the father killers and mother killers, the murderers, ¹⁰ the sexually immoral and homosexuals, slave dealers, liars, perjurers, and anyone else who acts against the sound doctrine ¹¹ laid out in the glorious, holy, and pure good news of the blessed God that has been entrusted to me.

¹² I thank our Lord Jesus the Anointed who empowers me, because He saw me as faithful and appointed me to this ministry. ¹³ Despite the fact that at one time I was slandering the things of God, persecuting and attacking His people, He was still merciful to me because I acted in ignorance apart from faith. ¹⁴ But He poured His grace over me, and I was flooded in an abundance of the grace and faith and love that can only be found in Jesus the Anointed.

¹⁵ Here’s a statement worthy of trust: Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, came into the world to save sinners, and I am the worst of them all. ¹⁶ But it is for this reason I was given mercy: by displaying His perfect patience in me, the very worst of all sinners, Jesus the Anointed could show that patience to all who would believe in Him and gain eternal life. ¹⁷ May the King eternal, immortal, and invisible—the one and only God—now be honored and glorified forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸ Timothy, my dear child, I am placing before you a charge for the mission ahead. It is in total agreement with the prophecies once spoken over you. Here it is: with God’s message stirring and directing you, fight the good fight, ¹⁹ armed with faith and a good conscience. Some have tried to silence their consciences, wrecking their lives and ruining their faiths. ²⁰ Hymenaeus and Alexander are among these; I have had to hand them over to Satan so they might learn not to speak against God.

2 So, first and foremost, I urge God’s people to pray. They should make their requests, petitions, and thanksgivings on behalf of all humanity. ² Teach them to pray for kings (or anyone in high places for that matter) so that we can lead quiet, peaceful lives—reverent, godly, and holy— ³ all of which is good and acceptable before the eyes of God our Savior ⁴ who desires for everyone to be saved and know the truth. ⁵ Because

The testimony was given to me at just the right time. ⁷ This is exactly what I was appointed to do—tell everyone His story—as a herald, an emissary,^[m] a teacher of the outsiders in faith and the truth. (Listen, I promise it’s all true. I’m not lying.)

⁸ So here’s what you tell them; here’s what I want to see: Men, pray wherever you are. Reach your holy hands to heaven—without rage or conflict—completely open. ⁹ Women, the same goes for you: dress properly, modestly, and appropriately. Don’t get carried away in grooming your hair or seek beauty in glittering gold, pearls, or expensive clothes. ¹⁰ Instead, as is fitting, let good works decorate your true beauty and show that you are a woman who claims reverence for God. ¹¹ It’s best if a woman learns quietly and orderly in complete submission.

¹² Now, Timothy, it’s not my habit to allow women to teach in a way that wrenches authority from a man. As I said, it’s best if a woman learns quietly and orderly. ¹³ This is because Adam was formed first by God, then Eve. ¹⁴ Plus, it wasn’t Adam who was tricked; it was she—the woman was the one who was fooled and disobeyed God’s command first. ¹⁵ Still, God, in His faithfulness, will deliver her through childbearing as long as she^[n] remains in faith and love and holiness with self-restraint.

3 Here’s another statement you may trust: if anyone is seeking a position as overseer in the church, he desires an honorable and important work. ² Here are the qualifications to look for in an overseer: a spotless reputation, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, sensible, respectable, welcoming to strangers (allowing them into his home), and gifted to teach. ³ Disqualify any drunk or violent man. Look for a gentle man; no belligerent fellow can follow this calling. And he should be free from money lust. ⁴ He should exert good control over his own household, and his children should obey and honor him. ⁵ (If someone can’t manage his own household, then how can he take care of God’s family?) ⁶ He mustn’t be someone recently converted; otherwise, he may become arrogant and fall into the devil’s condemnation. ⁷ He should also be respected for his character and known as an honorable person by people outside of the church so as to avoid the trips, traps, and pitfalls of the devil.

⁸ The same standards apply to deacons: they should be dignified. Double-talking hypocrites, heavy drinkers, and those greedy for ill-gotten gain should not be considered. ⁹ They should be people who hold tight to the great mystery of faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ Put these deacon-candidates to the test first; and if they come through without stumbling, then send them out to serve.

¹¹ Again the same applies to women in key positions; they should also be dignified, not backstabbing gossips but self-controlled and faithful to the core.

¹² Now deacons should live faithfully as the husband of one wife and be in control of their households, including their children. ¹³ Those deacons who serve well will achieve a good standing for themselves in the community and have great confidence to walk in the faith that is in Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King.

¹⁴ I am writing all this to you, hoping I can come to you before too long; ¹⁵ but in case I am delayed, you will know how one ought to behave as a member of God’s family—the assembly of the living God, the pillar and foundation that support the truth— ¹⁶ and I think you will agree that the mystery of godliness is great:

4 But even so, the Spirit very clearly tells us that in the last times some will abandon the true faith because of their devotion to spirits sent to deceive and sabotage, and mistakenly they will end up following the doctrine of demons. ² They will be carried away through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences have been branded with a red-hot iron, ³ saying, “Don’t marry. Don’t eat such-and-such foods.” But God created all these to be received with gratitude by people who hold fast to the faith and really comprehend the truth. ⁴ For everything God made is good. That means nothing should be rejected as long as it’s received with a grateful heart, ⁵ for by God’s word and prayer, it is made holy.

⁶ Place these truths before the brothers and sisters. If you do, you will be a good servant of Jesus the Anointed, raised and fed on words of true belief, trained in the good instruction you have so clearly followed. ⁷ Reject worldly fables. Refuse old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself toward godliness. ⁸ Although training your body has certain payoffs, godliness benefits all things—holding promise for life here and now and promise for the life that is coming. ⁹ This statement is worthy of trust and our full acceptance. ¹⁰ This is what we work so hard for! This is why we are constantly struggling: because we have an assured hope fixed upon a living God who is the Savior of all humankind—especially all of us who believe.

¹¹ So go out and insist on these things. Teach them. ¹² Don’t let anyone belittle you because you are young. Instead, show the faithful, young and old, an example of how to live: set the standard for how to talk, act, love, and be faithful and pure. ¹³ Until I get there, make sure to devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching. ¹⁴ Don’t neglect the gift that was given to you through the prophecy spoken when the company of the elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Cultivate all these practices; live by them so that all will see how you are advancing and growing. ¹⁶ Take care of yourself, concentrate on your teaching, and stick with these things. If you do, then you will be effective in bringing salvation to yourself and all who hear you.

5 Respect an elderly man. Don’t speak to him sharply; appeal to him as you would a father. Treat younger men as brothers, ² elderly women as mothers, and younger women as sisters in all purity.

³ Honor widows, but be discerning about which ones are truly widows. ⁴ If any widow has children or grandchildren, then go to the descendants first and teach them that it is their spiritual responsibility to care for their own family, to repay their parents and grandparents because this is what pleases God. ⁵ Here’s how you know if she is a true widow: she is all alone with her hope fixed in God, crying her pleas, prayers, and appeals to God day and night. ⁶ But the woman who is living for pleasure is dead as she stands. ⁷ You should command these things to everyone to keep them free of blame. ⁸ And listen, if someone is not providing for his own relatives and especially his own household, then he is denying the faith and is worse off than an unbeliever.

⁹ Now only these should be put on the widow registry: a woman who is at least 60 years old, was a faithful wife to one husband, ¹⁰ is well thought of for her good works, has raised children, was hospitable, has washed the feet of the saints, has tended to the sick and suffering, and has devoted herself to do good wherever possible. ¹¹ Don’t add younger women to the widow roll because when their desires for pleasure overtake them, they get careless in their devotion to the Anointed One. Their constant thoughts become, “I want to get married,” ¹² and such thoughts disqualify them because they have tossed aside their first commitment to Him. ¹³ Plus, they get into the habit of being idle. Not only are they idle, but they band together and roam from house to house, gossiping about and meddling into other people’s business; they talk about all sorts of things that should never be spoken of. ¹⁴ That’s why I think it’s best to have the younger widows remarry, have children, and take care of their households so that the enemy gains no opportunity to come with accusations. ¹⁵ (Unfortunately some have already lined up behind Satan!) ¹⁶ Tell any woman of faith: if you have a widow in your family, help her so the church is unencumbered and is free to extend aid to the widows who are truly in need of its help.

¹⁷ Elders who are leading well should be admired and valued. Double up on the honor shown them; care for them well—especially those constantly and consistently teaching the word and preaching. ¹⁸ For the Scripture agrees, “Don’t muzzle the ox while it is treading out your grain,”^[p] and, “The worker deserves his wages.”^[q]

¹⁹ Listen, when or if a charge comes against an elder, don’t even acknowledge the accusation unless there are two or more witnesses. ²⁰ Bring any believers who persist in sinning before the community and publicly scold them so that all the rest will know to fear sin and its consequences. ²¹ I challenge you—in front of God, Jesus His Anointed, and His select heavenly messengers—to keep these instructions. And don’t do anything out of favoritism. ²² Don’t be too quick to lay hands upon anyone or share in the sins of others—stay clean.

²³ Concerning your health, Timothy, don’t just drink water; drink a little wine. It is good for your stomach and will help with your frequent ailments.

²⁴ Some people’s sins are clearly on display before the world. They lead the way to the final judgment. But it’s not so easy with other people because their sins trail behind and don’t catch up to them until later. ²⁵ The same is true regarding good works; some are there for all to see. Other people’s works can be inconspicuous; but at the final judgment, they cannot remain hidden.

6 Tell all who labor under the yoke of slavery to treat their masters with honor and respect, whether or not their masters deserve it. This will keep God’s name and doctrine from being smeared. ² If their masters are believers, then they should not be insolent toward them just because they are your brothers and sisters. Actually they should be even more determined to serve them because the gains from their good works benefit those who are faithful and loved.

Timothy, teach these instructions, and appeal to those under your ministry to live by them. ³ If others are teaching otherwise and bringing unhealthy conversations to the community, if they are not sticking to the sound words in the teaching of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, if they are not teaching godly principles— ⁴ then they are swollen with conceit, filled with self-importance, and without any proper understanding. They probably have a gross infatuation with controversy and will endlessly debate meanings of words. That kind of talk leads to envy, discord, slander, and evil mistrust; ⁵ and these people constantly bicker because they are depraved in their minds and bereft of the truth. They think somehow that godliness is the way to get ahead. ⁶ This is ironic because godliness, along with contentment, does put us ahead but not in the ways some imagine. ⁷ You see we came into this world with nothing, and nothing is going with us on the way out! ⁸ So as long as we are clothed and fed, we should be happy. ⁹ But those who chase riches are constantly falling into temptation and snares. They are regularly caught by their own stupid and harmful desires, dragged down and pulled under into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money—and what it can buy—is the root of all sorts of evil. Some already have wandered away from the true faith because they craved what it had to offer; but when reaching for the prize, they found their hands and hearts pierced with many sorrows.

¹¹ Timothy, don’t let this happen to you—run away from these things! You are a man of God. Your quest is for justice, godliness, faithfulness, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

¹² Fight the good fight of the faith! Cling to the eternal life you were called to when you confessed the good confession before witnesses. ¹³ Before God—the life-giving Creator of all things—and Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, who made the good confession to Pontius Pilate, I urge you: ¹⁴ keep His commandment. Have a spotless, indisputable record until our Lord Jesus the Anointed appears to set this world straight. ¹⁵ In His own perfect time, He will come—blessed is the only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. ¹⁶ He alone possesses immortality; He makes His home in matchless, blinding, brilliant light that no one can approach—no mortal has ever even seen Him, and no human can. So let it be that all honor and eternal power are His. Amen.

¹⁷ Here’s what you say to those wealthy in regard to this age: “Don’t become high and mighty or place all your hope on a gamble for riches; instead, fix your hope on God, the One who richly provides everything for our enjoyment.” ¹⁸ Tell them to use their wealth for good things; be rich in good works! If they are willing to give generously and share everything, ¹⁹ then they will send ahead a great treasure for themselves and build their futures on a solid foundation. As a result, they will surely take hold of eternal life.

²⁰ O Timothy, protect what was entrusted to you! Walk away from all the godless, empty voices out there, and turn aside from objections and arguments that arise from false knowledge. ²¹ (By professing such knowledge, some are missing the mark when it comes to true faith.)

May God’s grace be with you.

1 Paul, an emissary^[r] of Jesus the Anointed commissioned by God’s will according to the promise of life found only in Jesus the Anointed, ² to you, my dear child Timothy.

May grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus the Anointed be yours.

^3-4 Timothy, you are constantly in my prayers. Day and night I remember you before God and give thanks to Him whom I serve with a clean conscience, as did my ancestors. I really want to see you, especially when I remember how you cried the last time we were together. Yes, I know it would make me joyful to see you again. ⁵ What strikes me most is how natural and sincere your faith is. I am convinced that the same faith that dwelt in your grandmother, Lois, and your mother, Eunice, abides in you as well. ⁶ This is why I write to remind you to stir up the gift of God that was conveyed to you when I laid my hands upon you. ⁷ You see, God did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit.

⁸ So don’t be embarrassed to testify about our Lord or for me, His prisoner. Join us in suffering for the good news by the strength and power of God. ⁹ God has already saved us and called us to this holy calling—not because of any good works we may have done, but because of His own intention and because eons and eons ago (before time itself existed), He gave us this grace in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King. ¹⁰ And now, the time has come! That grace was revealed when our Savior, Jesus the Anointed, appeared; and through His resurrection He has wiped out death and brought to light life and immortality by way of this good news. ¹¹ I was appointed a preacher, emissary,^[s] and teacher of this message. ¹² This is exactly why I am suffering. But I am not ashamed because I know Him and I have put my trust in Him. And I am fully certain that He has the ability to protect what I have placed in His care until that day.

¹³ Remember the words that you heard from me. Retain them as the model for healthy and sound teaching in the faith and love that are available in Jesus the Anointed. ¹⁴ As for the precious thing entrusted to you, protect it with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

¹⁵ You may know by now that all those in Asia have turned their backs on me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. ^16-17 But Onesiphorus was not ashamed of my chains. So when he arrived in Rome, he searched for me and found me. May the Lord show mercy to his house because he has often stopped by to refresh my weary soul. ¹⁸ And may the Lord shower him with divine mercy on the last day. You are well aware of all he did to serve me in Ephesus.

2 But as for you, my child, be empowered by the grace that is in Jesus, the Anointed One. ² Whatever you heard me teach before an audience of witnesses, I want you to pass along to trustworthy people who have the ability to teach others too. ³ As a good soldier of Jesus the Anointed, be ready to suffer with me. ⁴ Remember that soldiers on active duty don’t get wrapped up in civilian matters because they want to satisfy those who recruited them. ⁵ Look at it another way: if someone competes as an athlete, he won’t win the race and be crowned with the wreath if he breaks the rules. ⁶ And the farmer who exhausts himself in the field should be the first to taste his harvest. ⁷ Think about what I am telling you, and let the Lord give you clarity on all of it.

⁸ Remember Jesus the Anointed, raised from the dead, descended from David’s royal line. This is the crux of my good news! ⁹ This is why I suffer and why I am bound and chained like a lawbreaker. But God’s word is not in chains! ¹⁰ That’s why I endure everything for the sake of God’s chosen: so that they might experience salvation with lasting, eternal glory through Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King. ¹¹ Here’s a statement you can trust:

¹⁴ Remind others about these things that I’m telling you. Warn them before God to stop their useless bickering over words. After all, splitting hairs does no good; it only ruins those forced to listen to their meritless arguments. ¹⁵ Timothy, do everything you can to present yourself to God as a man who is fully genuine, a worker unashamed of your mission, a guide capable of leading others along the correct path defined by the word of truth. ¹⁶ Stay away from ungodly babbling because it will only lead deeper into a godless lifestyle. ¹⁷ Once these empty voices start to speak, Timothy, they infect and spread; and soon the body is consumed with its cancer.^[t] Hymenaeus and Philetus fell victim to it, ¹⁸ and they walked away from the truth by claiming that the day of resurrection has already arrived. They are clearly disrupting the faith of some who are not well grounded. ¹⁹ Regardless of what they do or say, God’s foundation is strong and firmly in place, etched with this seal: “The Lord knows the ones who belong to Him,”^[u] and, “Everyone who invokes the name of the Lord ought to stop doing what they know to be wrong.”

²⁰ Look, in the mansions of the rich and powerful you will find everything from silver and gold serving bowls to wooden containers and clay jars; some are used for special occasions—where honor is important—others are used for more mundane tasks. ²¹ So tell them, if they will clean up their lives and purify themselves from dishonorable teachings that lead people astray, then they can become honorable vessels, consecrated and useful to the Master, made ready for every good work He has in store.

²² Timothy, run away from youthful desires. Instead, direct your passion to chasing after righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, along with those who call upon the Lord with pure hearts. ²³ Excuse yourself from any conversations that turn into foolish and uninformed debates because you know they only provoke fights. ²⁴ As the Lord’s slave, you shouldn’t exhaust yourself in bickering; instead, be gentle—no matter who you are dealing with—ready and able to teach, tolerant without resentment, ²⁵ gently instructing those who stand up against you. Besides, the time may come when God grants them a change of heart^[v] so that they can arrive at the full knowledge of truth. ²⁶ And if they come to their senses, they can escape the devil’s snare and walk freed from his captivity and evil bidding.

3 And know this: in the last days, times will be hard. ² You see, the world will be filled with narcissistic, money-grubbing, pretentious, arrogant, and abusive people. They will rebel against their parents and will be ungrateful, unholy, ³ uncaring, coldhearted, accusing, without restraint, savage, and haters of anything good. ⁴ Expect them to be treacherous, reckless, swollen with self-importance, and given to loving pleasure more than they love God. ⁵ Even though they may look or act like godly people, they’re not. They deny His power. I tell you: Stay away from the likes of these. ⁶ They’re snakes slithering into the houses of vulnerable women, women gaudy with sin, to seduce them. These reptiles can capture them because these women are weak and easily swayed by their desires. ⁷ They seem always to be learning, but they never seem to gain the full measure of the truth. ⁸ And, just as Jannes and Jambres rose up against Moses,^[w] these ungodly people defy the truth. Their minds are corrupt, and their faith is absolutely worthless. ⁹ But they won’t get too far because their stupidity will be noticed by everyone, just as it was with Jannes and Jambres.

¹⁰ You have been a good student. You have closely observed how I have lived. You’ve followed my instructions, my habits, my purpose, my faith, my patience. You’ve watched how I love and have seen how I endure. You have been with me ¹¹ through persecutions and sufferings—remember what they did to me in Antioch? In Iconium and Lystra? I endured all of it, and the Lord rescued me from it all! ¹² Anyone wishing to live a godly life in Jesus the Anointed will be hunted down and persecuted. ¹³ But as for the wicked and the imposters, they will keep leading and following each other further and further away from the truth. ¹⁴ So surely you ought to stick to what you know is certain. All you have learned comes from people you know and trust ¹⁵ because since childhood you have known the holy Scriptures, which enable you to be wise and lead to salvation through faith in Jesus the Anointed. ¹⁶ All of Scripture is God-breathed; in its inspired voice, we hear useful teaching, rebuke, correction, instruction, and training for a life that is right ¹⁷ so that God’s people may be up to the task ahead and have all they need to accomplish every good work.

4 And now I bring you this charge before God and Jesus the Anointed, the one destined to judge the living and the dead, at His glorious appearance and His kingdom: ² go out and preach the word! Go whether it’s an opportune time or not! Reprove, warn, and encourage; but do so with all the patience and instruction needed to fulfill your calling ³ because a time will come when some will no longer tolerate sound teaching. Instead, they will live by their own desires; they’ll scratch their itching ears by surrounding themselves with teachers who approve of their lifestyles and tell them what they want to hear. ⁴ They will turn away from the real truth you have to offer because they prefer the sound of fables and myths. ⁵ But you must stay focused and be alert at all times. Tolerate suffering. Accomplish the good work of an evangelist, and complete the ministry to which you have been called.

⁶ For I am already being poured out, and the last drops of this drink offering are all that remain; it’s almost time for me to leave. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have stayed on course and finished the race, and through it all, I have kept believing. ⁸ I look forward to what’s in store for me: a crown of righteousness that the Lord—the always right and just judge—will give me that day (but it is not only for me, but for all those who love and long for His appearing).

⁹ Come to me, Timothy, as soon as you can. ¹⁰ You see, Demas has fallen for this world, abandoned me, and headed off to Thessalonica. Crescens took off for Galatia. Titus has gone to Dalmatia. ¹¹ Luke is the only one left. Bring Mark with you because he is useful in this work and will help look after me. ¹² I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. ¹³ On your way here, pick up the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, and bring the scrolls—especially the parchments.

¹⁴ Keep your eye out for Alexander the coppersmith! He came against me with all sorts of evil—may the Lord pay him back accordingly— ¹⁵ so watch your back because he has gone overboard to oppose our message.

¹⁶ When it was time for my first defense, no one showed up to support me. Everyone abandoned me (may it not be held against them) ¹⁷ except the Lord. He stood by me, strengthened me, and backed the truth I proclaimed with power so it may be heard by all the non-Jews. He rescued me, pried open the lion’s jaw, and snatched me from its teeth. ¹⁸ And I know the Lord will continue to rescue me from every trip, trap, snare, and pitfall of evil and carry me safely to His heavenly kingdom. May He be glorified throughout eternity. Amen.

¹⁹ Give my regards to Prisca, Aquila, and everyone over at Onesiphorus’s house. ²⁰ Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus in Miletus because he was sick. ²¹ Try your best to come before winter blows in. Eubulus says hello and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters. ²² May the Lord be with your spirit, and may His grace be with you. [Amen.]^[x]

1 Paul, servant of God and emissary^[y] of Jesus, the Anointed One, on behalf of the faith that is accepted by God’s chosen people and the knowledge of the undeniable truth that leads to godliness.

² We rest in this hope we’ve been given—the hope that we will live forever with our God—the hope that He proclaimed ages and ages ago (even before time began). And our God is no liar; He is not even capable of uttering lies. ³ So we can be sure that it is in His exact right time that He released His word into the world—through the preaching that God our Savior has commanded into my care.

⁴ To you, Titus, my dear son birthed through our shared faith: may grace and peace rest upon you from God the Father and Jesus the Anointed, our Savior.

⁵ I left you on Crete so you could sort out the chaos and the unfinished business and appoint elders over communities in each and every city according to my earlier orders. ⁶ Here’s what you should look for in an elder: he should be above suspicion; if he is married, he should be the husband of one wife, raise children who believe, and be a person who can’t be accused of rough and raucous living. ⁷ It is necessary that any overseer you appoint be blameless, as he is entrusted with God’s mission. Look for someone who isn’t pompous or quick to anger, who is not a drunkard, violent, or chasing after seedy gain or worldly fame. ⁸ Find a person who lovingly opens his home to others; who honors goodness; who is thoughtful, fair, devout, self-controlled; and ⁹ who clings to the faithful word that was taught because he must be able, not only to encourage people with sound teaching, but also to challenge those who are against it.

¹⁰ You see antagonists everywhere; they are rebellious, loose-lipped, and deceitful (especially those who are from the circumcised lot). ¹¹ Their talk must be quashed—their mouths sealed up because impure teaching is flying out of their lips and overturning entire families for the sake of their own squalid gain. ¹² I’ll tell you, even their own prophet was heard saying, “Chronic liars, foul beasts, and lazy gluttons—that’s who you’ll meet in Crete.” ¹³ And he’s right! This is why we have to scold them, sometimes severely, so they will be sound in the faith ¹⁴ and be able to ignore Jewish myths as well as any commandments given by those who turn away from the truth.

¹⁵ Listen: to those who are pure, all things are pure. But to those who are tainted, stained, and unbelieving, nothing is pure because their minds and their consciences are polluted. ¹⁶ They claim, “I know God,” but their actions are a slap to His face. They are wretched, disobedient, and useless to any worthwhile cause.

2 As to you, Titus: talk to them; give them a good, healthy diet of solid teaching so they will know the right way to live.

² Here’s what I want you to teach the older men: enjoy everything in moderation, respect yourselves and others, be sensible, and dedicate yourselves to living an unbroken faith demonstrated by your love and perseverance.

³ And here’s what I want you to teach the older women: Be respectful. Steer clear of gossip or drinking too much so that you can teach what is good ⁴ to young women. Be a positive example, showing them what it is to love their husbands and children, and teaching them to ⁵ control themselves in every way and to be pure. Train them to manage the household, to be kind, and to be submissive to their husbands, all of which honor the word of God.

⁶ Encourage the young men in the same way: in every situation, they should learn to control themselves.

^7-8 Titus, you have to set a good example for everyone. Go out of your way to do what is right, speak the truth with the weight and authority that come from an honest and pure life. No one can argue with that. Then your enemies will cower in shame because they have nothing bad to say against us.

⁹ Advise all the servants: Work hard for your masters, and be loyal to them. Strive to please. Don’t be rude or sarcastic. ¹⁰ Don’t steal or embezzle your masters’ property. Show them you are trustworthy, and all the credit will go to the teaching of God our Savior.

¹¹ We have cause to celebrate because the grace of God has appeared, offering the gift of salvation to all people. ¹² Grace arrives with its own instruction: run away from anything that leads us away from God; abandon the lusts and passions of this world; live life now in this age with awareness and self-control, doing the right thing and keeping yourselves holy. ¹³ Watch for His return; expect the blessed hope we all will share when our great God and Savior, Jesus the Anointed, appears again. ¹⁴ He gave His body for our sakes and will not only break us free from the chains of wickedness, but He will also prepare a community uncorrupted by the world that He would call His own—people who are passionate about doing the right thing.

¹⁵ So, Titus, tell them all these things. Encourage and teach them with all authority—and rebuke them with the same. You are a man called to serve, so don’t let anyone belittle you.

3 And remind them of this: respect the rulers and the courts. Obey them. Be ready to do what is good and honorable. ² Don’t tear down another person with your words. Instead, keep the peace, and be considerate. Be truly humble toward everyone ³ because there was a time when we, too, were foolish, rebellious, and deceived—we were slaves to sensual cravings and pleasures; and we spent our lives being spiteful, envious, hated by many, and hating one another. ⁴ But then something happened: God our Savior and His overpowering love and kindness for humankind entered our world; ⁵ He came to save us. It’s not that we earned it by doing good works or righteous deeds; He came because He is merciful. He brought us out of our old ways of living to a new beginning through the washing of regeneration; and He made us completely new through the Holy Spirit, ⁶ who was poured out in abundance through Jesus the Anointed, our Savior. ⁷ All of this happened so that through His grace we would be accepted into God’s covenant family and appointed to be His heirs, full of the hope that comes from knowing you have eternal life. ⁸ This is a faithful statement of what we believe.

Concerning this, I want you to put it out there boldly so that those who believe in God will be constant in doing the right things, which will benefit all of us. ⁹ Listen, don’t get trapped in brainless debates; avoid competition over family trees or pedigrees; stay away from fights and disagreements over the law. They are a waste of your time. ¹⁰ If a person is causing divisions in the community, warn him once; and if necessary, warn him twice. After that, avoid him completely ¹¹ because by then you are sure that you are dealing with a corrupt, sinful person. He is determined to condemn himself.

¹² I am sending either Artemas or Tychicus to you. When one of them arrives, try your best to make your way to me at Nicopolis (I plan to spend the winter there). ¹³ Do what you can to get Zenas (the lawyer) and Apollos on their way; make sure they have everything they need. ¹⁴ Our people must learn to get involved when a need arises, particularly when the need is urgent. Teach them to do what is good so they won’t become unproductive members of the community.

¹⁵ Everyone with me sends his greetings. Greet all our friends in the faith. May grace be with all of you. [Amen.]^[z]

¹ Paul, a prisoner of Jesus the Anointed One, with our brother Timothy, to you, beloved Philemon, our fellow worker; and ² to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that gathers in your house. ³ May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus the Anointed surround you.

⁴ I am constantly thanking God for you in my prayers ⁵ because I keep hearing about your love and faith toward our Lord Jesus and all those set apart for His purposes. Here’s what I’ve been praying on your behalf:

⁷ My brother, because you are out there encouraging and reviving the hearts of fellow saints with such love, this brings great joy and comfort to me.

⁸ Although I am bold enough in the Anointed, our Liberating King, to insist you do the right thing, ⁹ instead I choose to appeal to you on account of love. I do this for my own sake since I, Paul, am an old man and am held prisoner because of my service to Jesus the Anointed. ¹⁰ I make this request on behalf of my child, Onesimus,^[aa] whom I brought to faith during my time in prison. ¹¹ Before, he was useless to you; but now he is useful to both you and me. ¹² Listen, I am sending my heart back to you as I send him to stand before you, although truly ¹³ I wished to keep him at my side to take your place as my helper while I am bound for the good news. ¹⁴ But I didn’t want to make this decision without asking for your permission. This way, any goodwill on your part wouldn’t be seen as forced, but as your true and free desire.

¹⁵ Maybe this is the reason why he was supposed to be away from you for this time: so that now you will have him back forever— ¹⁶ no longer as a slave, but as more than a slave—as a dear brother. Yes, he is dear to me, but I suspect he will come to mean even more to you, both in the flesh as a servant and in the Lord as a brother.

¹⁷ So if you look upon me as your partner in this mission, then I ask you to open your heart to him as you would welcome me. ¹⁸ And if he has wronged you or owes you anything, charge it to me. ¹⁹ Look, I’ll put it here in my own handwriting: I, Paul, promise to repay you everything. (Should I remind you that you owe me your life?) ²⁰ Indeed, brother, I want you to do me this favor out of obedience to our Lord. It will refresh my heart in Him. ²¹ This letter comes, written with the confidence that you will not only do what I ask, but will also go beyond all I have asked.

²² One more thing: you should get a room ready for me as I hope to be released to you soon in answer to your prayers. ²³ Epaphras (my fellow prisoner in Jesus, the Anointed One) greets you, ²⁴ as well as my fellow workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke.

²⁵ May the grace of the Lord Jesus the Anointed be with your spirit. [Amen.]^[ab]