unfoldingWord® Translation Questions
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| Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the command of God our Savior and of the Lord Jesus Christ our hope, | {I,} Paul, {write this letter to you.} God is the one who rescues us, and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, is the one whom we confidently expect. The two of them ordered me to represent Jesus the Messiah. |
Paul was made an apostle by to the commandment of God.
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| to Timothy, a genuine child in the faith. Grace, mercy, peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. | {I send this letter} to you, Timothy. You have become like my own son because we both trust in {Jesus}. {May} God the Father and Jesus the Messiah, our Lord, {continue to be} kind and merciful to you and {make you} peaceful. |
Timothy was Paul’s true son in the faith.
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| Just as I, going into Macedonia, urged you to remain in Ephesus so that you can command certain ones not to teach differently | As I asked you when I was traveling to the province of Macedonia, {I ask you again} to stay in the city of Ephesus. That way, you can prohibit certain people there from teaching things that are different {from what is true}. |
He urged Timothy to remain in Ephesus.
He was to command them not to teach differently.
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| and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which promote arguments rather than the stewardship of God, {which is} by faith—. | {I want you to tell them} to stop focusing on legends and very long lists of ancestors. Those things cause people to argue with each other. They do not help to accomplish God’s plan. That happens when we trust in {Jesus}. |
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| Now the goal of the command is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith, | I want you to require those things so that people will love {each other}. {They will do that} while they desire only what is good, while they know that they are doing what is right, and while they genuinely trust in {Jesus}. |
The goal of his commandment was love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.
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| from which some, having missed the mark, have turned away to foolish talk, | However, some people have failed to do those things. Instead, they speak about things that do not matter. |
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| wanting to be teachers of the law, not understanding neither what they are saying nor what they insist on. | Those people desire to be people who teach the {Jewish} law. However, they do not understand what they talk about or what they confidently affirm. |
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| But we know that the law (is) good if one uses it lawfully, | We {believers} understand that the {Jewish} law is excellent as long as people use it properly. |
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| knowing this, that the law is not laid down for the righteous but for the lawless and the rebellious, the ungodly and the sinful, the unholy and the profane, father-killers and mother-killers, man-slayers, | Indeed, we {believers} realize that God did not establish the {Jewish} law for people who do what is right. Rather, {he established the Jewish law} for people who do what is wrong and do not obey anyone. They do not honor God, and they sin. They do things that defile themselves, and they do not set themselves apart for God. They murder their parents. They murder other people. |
The law is for lawless, rebellious, ungodly people, and sinners.
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| the sexually immoral, homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and if anything else is contrary to the healthy teaching, | They act in sexually improper ways. They have sex with people of the same gender. They sell other people as slaves. They lie even when they solemnly promise to say what is true. When people teach them what is right, they always do the opposite. |
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| according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. | {When people teach what is right,} it fits with the good news, which shows how great is the God whom we praise. That is the good news that God has told me {to proclaim to people}. |
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| I have gratitude to the one having strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy, placing {me} into service, | I thank Jesus the Messiah, our Lord, who has enabled me {to proclaim the good news}. {I thank him} because he decided that he could trust me, so he appointed me to serve {him}. |
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| formerly being a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent {one}, but I was shown mercy because, not knowing, I acted in unfaithfulness. | {Jesus did that} even though I used to insult him, harm his people, and act violently. However, I did not understand what I was doing when I did not trust in {Jesus}. So, Jesus acted mercifully to me. |
Paul was a blasphemer, persecutor, and a violent man.
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| But the grace of our Lord overflowed with faith and love {that are} in Christ Jesus. | Our Lord {Jesus} acted extremely kindly to me. By uniting me to himself, Jesus the Messiah, he enabled me to believe in him and to love people. |
The grace of our Lord overflowed with faith and love to Paul.
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| This word {is} trustworthy and worthy of all acceptance, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—of whom I am first. | Everyone should trust and rely on this statement: “Jesus the Messiah was here on earth to rescue sinful people.” {As for me,} I am more sinful than everyone else. |
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
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| But because of this I was shown mercy so that in me, the first, Jesus Christ might demonstrate all patience as an example for the ones about to believe in him for eternal life. | However, that is why Jesus acted mercifully to me. That way, Jesus the Messiah could show how very patient he is by how he treated me, the most sinful person. He wanted to illustrate {his character} for people who are going to trust in him so that they live with God forever. |
God gave Paul mercy so that Jesus could demonstrate his patience in Paul as an example.
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| Now to the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, {be} honor and glory forever {and} ever. Amen. | God is always ruling. He will never die, and no one can see him. There are no other gods. So, let us praise and glorify him forever! May it be so! |
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| This command I am placing before you, my child, Timothy, according to the earlier prophecies about you, that in them you might fight the good fight, | Timothy, you are like my son. I have told you to do certain things because they fit with what people previously prophesied about you. {I have told you to do those things} so that, as those people prophesied, you will serve God well, as a soldier obeys a commanding officer. |
Paul tells Timothy to fight the good fight.
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| having faith and a good conscience, which some, having rejected, have shipwrecked regarding the faith, | {You can do that} by trusting in {Jesus} and by knowing that you are doing what is right. Some people have stopped doing that, and now they no longer trust in {Jesus}. |
These people have shipwrecked regarding the faith.
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| of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have given over to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme. | Among those who have done that are Hymenaeus and Alexander. I have expelled them so that Satan rules over them. That way, they will learn not to insult God. |
Paul gave them over to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.
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| I urge, therefore, first of all, for requests, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings to be made for all men, | So then, I ask {believers} to focus especially on praying for all people. {Believers} should be thankful for these people and ask God to act kindly to them. |
Paul requests prayers be made for all people.
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| for kings and all the ones being in authority, so that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. | {They should pray particularly} for kings and for everyone who rules {over other people}. That way, we {believers} can live calmly and peacefully, and we can honor God and act in ways that others respect. |
Paul desires that Christians be allowed to live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
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| This {is} good and acceptable before God our Savior, | It is right {to pray like that}, and it pleases God. He is the one who rescues us. |
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| who desires all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. | God wants to rescue all people. He wants everyone to understand what is true. |
God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
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| For {there is} one God, and one mediator of God and of men—the man Christ Jesus, | {You can tell that God wants those things to happen} because God is the only God. Further, Jesus the Messiah is the only one who reconciles God and humans. He is human himself. |
Christ Jesus is the one mediator between God and man.
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| the one having given himself {as} a ransom for all, the testimony in its own times, | He chose to die so that he could free all people {from their sins}. That is what believers testify to during this time when it is right to do so. |
Christ Jesus gave himself as a ransom for all.
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| for which I was made a herald and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ,I am not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. | It was to testify in that way that Jesus appointed me to speak for him and to represent him. {Jesus also appointed me} to instruct non-Jewish people about what is true and about what to believe. As surely as God has united me to the Messiah, I am not telling you what is false, but what is true! |
Paul is a teacher of the Gentiles.
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| Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and argument; | Next, wherever {you worship God}, here is how I desire men to pray: They should not be angry or quarreling {with each other}. Instead, they should pray in a way that honors God. |
Paul wants men to pray and lift up holy hands.
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| likewise women to adorn themselves in proper attire, with modesty and self-control, not in braids and gold, or pearls, or very expensive clothing, | Similarly, {when you worship God, here is how I desire} women to dress: They should be modest and control themselves by wearing appropriate clothing. They should not wear elaborate hairstyles, golden {jewelry}, pearls, or clothes that cost much money. |
Paul wants women to dress modestly and with self-control.
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| but—what is proper for women professing godliness—through good works. | Instead, {they should focus on} doing what is right. That is appropriate for women who claim to honor God. |
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| Let a woman learn in quietness, in all submission. | Women should learn unobtrusively. They should always honor and obey {the people who lead their group of believers}. |
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| But I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in quietness. | Further, I do not allow women to teach or to rule men. Instead, they should behave unobtrusively. |
Paul does not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man.
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| For Adam was formed first, then Eve, | {What you can read in the Scriptures supports what I have commanded,} since God made {the first man} Adam before {he made the first woman} Eve. |
Paul’s first reason is that Adam was formed first.
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| and Adam was not deceived, but the woman, having been deceived, came into transgression. | Further, the talking snake did not convince Adam to do what was wrong. Rather, the talking snake convinced the woman, Eve, to do what was wrong. So, she disobeyed what God had commanded. |
Paul’s second reason is that Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived.
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| But she will be saved through childbearing if they remain in faith and love and holiness with self-control. | However, God would eventually rescue Eve {by sending the Messiah} through women having children. {Along with her, God will save other women} as long as they continue to trust in {Jesus}, love other people, act as those who belong to God, and control themselves. |
Paul wants women to continue in faith and love and sanctification with self-control.
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| This word {is} trustworthy: “If someone aspires to overseership, he desires a good work.” | Everyone should trust this statement: “People who want to lead the rest of God’s people are seeking to do something that is good.” |
The work of an overseer is good work.
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| Therefore, it is necessary for the overseer to be irreproachable, a husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, proper, hospitable, able to teach, | Because {doing that is good}, those who lead the rest of God’s people must be those whom no one can rightly accuse of doing anything wrong. They must be sexually faithful to their wives. They must not do everything that they desire. They must control themselves. They must act in appropriate ways. They must welcome guests into their homes. They must be good at teaching others. |
An overseer must be able to teach.
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| not addicted to wine, not a brawler,but gentle, peaceable, not money-loving, | They must not be alcoholics. They must not like to fight and argue. Rather, they must treat others kindly. They must avoid fighting. They must not desire to have more money. |
An overseer must not be a drunkard, and must not love money.
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| leading his own household well, having children in submission with all dignity, | They must direct their own families rightly. Their children must honor and obey them and always act in ways that others respect. |
An overseer’s children must obey and honor him.
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| (but if someone does not know {how} to lead his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), | After all, people who cannot direct their own families will not be able to care properly for any group of believers belonging to God. |
It is important because if he cannot manage his household well, he will likely not care well for a church.
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| not a new convert, so that he may not fall, being puffed up, into the judgment of the devil. | They must not have only recently trusted in {Jesus}. Otherwise, they might become prideful. Then, God would punish them as he punished Satan. |
The danger is that he will be puffed up and fall into condemnation.
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| But it is also necessary to have a good testimony from the ones outside, so that he may not fall into reproach and a trap of the devil. | Further, those who lead the rest of God’s people must be those about whom nonbelievers say good things. That way, people do not insult them and Satan will not be able to control them. |
An overseer must have a good reputation with those outside the church.
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| Likewise deacons {must be} dignified, not double-talkers, not indulging in much wine, not greedy, | Similarly, those who serve the rest of God’s people must be those whom others respect. They must consistently speak what is true. They must not drink too much alcohol. They must not want more than they need. |
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| having the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. | They should know that they are doing what is right as they remain faithful to what God has revealed, which is the good news that we trust. |
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| But let them also be tested first; then let them serve, being blameless. | Further, the group of believers must also evaluate how they behave. After that, as long as they consistently do what is right, they can serve the rest of God’s people. |
Before they serve, deacons should be tested.
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| Likewise women {must be} dignified, not slanderers, temperate, trustworthy in everything. | Similarly, the women {who serve the rest of God’s people} must be those whom others respect. They must not say mean or false things about other people. They must not do everything that they desire. They must always act faithfully. |
Godly women are dignified, not slanderers, sober, and trustworthy in everything.
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| Let deacons be husbands of one wife, leading children and their own households well. | The {men} who serve the rest of God’s people must be sexually faithful to their wives. They must direct their own families, especially their children, rightly. |
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| For the ones having served well acquire for themselves good standing and much confidence in the faith {that is} in Christ Jesus. | {They should act in all those ways} because those who serve the rest of God’s people rightly will be people whom other believers honor. Also, they will very boldly trust in Jesus the Messiah. |
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| I am writing these things to you—hoping to come to you in quickness, | I plan to visit you soon. However, I am sending this letter to you now. |
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| but if I delay—so that you may know how it is necessary to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and support of the truth. | That way, even if I cannot visit you soon, you will understand how people who are like God’s own family should act. I am speaking about the group of all believers who belong to the only real God. {These believers} preserve and testify to what is true. |
The household of God is the church of the living God.
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| And admittedly great is the mystery of godliness: “Who was revealed in flesh,was justified in the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in the world, was taken up in glory.” | Everyone must agree that what God has revealed that enables us to honor him is marvelous: “People saw the Messiah as a human. The Holy Spirit declared that he was who he claimed to be. Angels saw him. Believers proclaimed who he was to non-Jewish people. People in many places trusted in him. God brought him up {into heaven} in a glorious way.” |
Jesus was proclaimed among nations, believed in the world, and taken up in glory.
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| Now the Spirit says specifically that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons, | The Holy Spirit has declared clearly that some people will stop believing in {Jesus} when this time period is about to end. Instead, they will focus on evil spirits who convince people to believe what is wrong. They will focus on what demons teach. |
Some people will leave the faith and attend to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons.
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| in the hypocrisy of liars, having been seared {in} their own conscience, | {They focus on those things} because they listen to people who pretend to teach what is true but who actually teach what is false. These teachers refuse to accept that what they are doing is wrong. |
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| forbidding to marry, to abstain from foods that God created for receiving with thanksgiving by {the ones} faithful and knowing the truth. | They command people not to marry others. {They command people} not to eat certain kinds of food. However, God made those foods so that people would thank him for them and eat them. {He made those foods} for people who trust in {Jesus} and who understand what is true. |
They will forbid marriage and forbid eating some foods.
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| For every creation of God {is} good, and nothing being received with thanksgiving {is} to be rejected, | {I say that} because everything that God made is good. People can eat any {kind of food} as long as they thank God for it. |
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| for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. | {That is} because what God has said and what people pray makes the food holy. |
Anything we eat is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
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| Placing these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being nourished by the words of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. | When you instruct your fellow believers about those things, you will be serving Jesus the Messiah well. You will become spiritually stronger because of the good news that you have believed, which includes the correct teachings that you have accepted. |
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| But reject the profane and old-womanish myths, but train yourself for godliness, | You should refuse to listen to silly legends that have nothing to do with God. Instead, you should work hard to honor God. |
Paul tells Timothy to train himself in godliness.
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| for bodily training is useful for little, but godliness is useful for all, having promise of life, now and coming. | Here is what I mean: working hard to make your body stronger is helpful for a little while. However, working hard to honor God is helpful at all times. When you do that, you can confidently expect to live {with God} both now and also when God makes you alive again. |
Training in godliness is more profitable because it holds promise for this present life and the coming one.
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| The word {is} trustworthy and worthy of all acceptance. | Everyone should trust and rely on this statement, |
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| For unto this we toil and struggle,that we have hoped in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. | since it is why we work so hard: “We confidently expect that the only real God {will do what he has promised}. He is the one who rescues all people, but particularly those who trust in {Jesus}.” |
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| Command and teach these things. | Instruct people about {what I have told you}. Require them to do those things. |
Paul exhorts Timothy to command and teach these things.
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| Let no one despise your youth, but be an example for the believers in word, in conduct, in love,in faith, in purity. | Do not allow anyone to consider you to be unimportant because you are young. Instead, show other believers how to live. Show them that by how you speak, how you behave, how you love others, how you trust in {Jesus}, and how you avoid what is evil. |
Timothy is to be an example in word, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
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| Until I come, attend to the reading, to the exhortation, to the teaching. | While I am not with you, be sure to continue reading {the Scriptures to the believers when you meet together}, instructing {the believers}, and urging {them to do what is right}. |
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| Do not neglect the gift in you, which was given to you through prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the council of elders. | Be sure to do what God has graciously enabled you to do. God enabled you to do that when someone spoke to you for God and the leaders of the group of believers touched you. |
The gift was given to Timothy through prophecy, with the imposition of the hands of the elders.
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| Practice these things, be in these things, so that your progress may be apparent to all. | Consistently do what I have told you {to do}! Focus on those things. That way, everyone will notice that you are {serving Jesus} better. |
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| Pay attention to yourself and to the teaching. Continue in them, for, doing this, you will save both yourself and the ones hearing you. | Make sure that you {behave properly} and that what you teach {is right}. As long as you do what I have told you {to do}, you will rescue yourself and anyone who listens to you. So, keep doing what I have told you {to do}. |
Timothy will save both himself and his listeners.
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| Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort {him} as a father, younger men as brothers, | Do not scold a man who is older than you are. Instead, speak to him as if he were your father. Speak to men who are younger than you are as if they were your brothers. |
Paul told Timothy to exhort him as if he were a father.
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| older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity. | Speak to women who are older than you are as if each one were your mother. Speak to women who are younger than you are as if they were your sisters. {When you do that,} avoid everything that might be improper. |
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| Honor widows—real widows. | As for women whose husbands have died, treat them respectfully {by taking care of them}. {I am speaking of} women who have no close relatives and whose husbands have died. |
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| But if any widow has children or grandchildren, first let them learn to treat their own household in a godly way and to make repayment to their forebears, for this is acceptable before God. | However, suppose that women whose husbands have died have children or grandchildren. In that case, those children or grandchildren should, most importantly, practice honoring their own family members {by taking care of them}. {In that way,} they will do for their parents and grandparents what their parents and grandparents did for them. That pleases God. |
Children and grandchildren should repay their parents and take care of her.
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| But the real widow and one having been left alone has hoped in God and remains in requests and prayers night and day. | Women who have no close relatives and whose husbands have died confidently expect that God {will help them}. They persistently pray {to God} all day long. |
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| But the one living self-indulgently, living, has died. | On the other hand, some women whose husbands have died do whatever they want to do. These women are like dead people even though they are alive. |
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| Command these things also so that they may be irreproachable. | Require {the believers there} to do what I have just written. That way, no one can rightly accuse them of doing anything wrong. |
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| But if someone does not provide for his own, and especially for household members, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. | Suppose that believers do not take care of their relatives, particularly their close family members. Those people show that they do not really trust in {Jesus}. They have sinned more than people who never trusted in {Jesus}. |
He has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
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| Let a widow be enrolled, not less than 60 years old, having been a wife of one husband, | When you add a woman whose husband has died to the list {of women that the group of believers will take care of}, here is what she must be like. She must be at least 60 years old. She must have been sexually faithful to her husband. |
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| being testified in good works: if she has raised children, if she has received strangers, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has aided the afflicted, if she has followed every good work. | People must say that she does what is right. For example, she might have brought up children. She might have welcomed people from a different place. She might have cleaned the dirty feet of God’s people. She might have helped people who were suffering. In general, she must have persisted in always doing what is good. |
A widow should be attested for good works.
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| But reject younger widows, for when they indulge themselves against Christ, they want to marry, | However, do not add women whose husbands have died and who are still young {to the list of women that the group of believers will take care of}. These women may choose to do whatever they want instead of doing what the Messiah wants. {So that they can do whatever they want,} they will desire to marry {even an unbeliever}. |
These younger widows will later want to marry.
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| having judgment because they have annulled the first faith. | So, they have ceased to trust in {Jesus} as they used to do. Therefore, God will punish them. |
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| But at the same time, they also learn to be idle, wandering about the houses, and not only idle, but also babblers and meddlers, saying what they should not. | In addition to that, these women may also practice avoiding work. Instead, they may visit one person’s home after another. In addition to avoiding work, they may also talk too much and interfere with what others are doing. They may talk about things that they should not talk about. |
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| Therefore, I want younger ones to marry, to bear children, to manage a household, to give no opportunity for reviling to the one opposing. | Because of all that, I recommend that women {whose husbands have died and} who are still young should marry again. They should have children. They should direct their own families. They should act in such a way that Satan cannot insult any believers. |
Paul wants younger women to marry, to bear children, and to manage a household.
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| For already some have turned away after Satan. | {I have written those things} because some {women whose husbands have died and who are still young} are already doing what Satan wants {instead of what God wants}. |
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| If any believing woman has widows,let her aid them, and let the church not be weighed down, so that it may aid the real widows. | Suppose that a woman who trusts in {Jesus} has in her family some women whose husbands have died. She should be the one who helps them. That way, the group of believers will not have to provide for too many women whose husbands have died. Then, the group of believers will be able to help women who have no close relatives and whose husbands have died. |
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| Let the elders having led well be considered worthy of double honor, especially the ones toiling in word and teaching. | The leaders who rightly direct {believers} deserve to have those believers respect them and take care of them. The leaders who work hard to proclaim {the good news} and instruct others about it particularly deserve that. |
Elders who lead well should be considered worthy of double honor.
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| For the Scripture says, “You will not muzzle an ox threshing,” and, “The worker {is} worthy of his wages.” | {You know that this is right} because {Moses wrote} in the Scriptures: “You should not keep an ox from eating the grain when it is helping you separate grain from chaff.” Further, {Jesus said,} “Workers deserve to have people pay them for their work.” |
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| Against an elder, do not receive an accusation unless on two or three witnesses. | When someone claims that a leader has done something wrong, you should only listen if {at least} two or three people say the same thing about that leader. |
There must be two or three witnesses when someone accuses an elder.
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| The ones sinning, rebuke before all, so that the rest also may have fear. | When any leaders have sinned, you should confront them {with what they have done} in front of everyone. That way, the other leaders will be afraid {to sin} too. |
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| I declare before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels that you should keep these things without prejudgment, doing nothing according to partiality. | God, Jesus the Messiah, and the angels whom God has selected are listening right now {and agreeing with me} as I command you to do what I have instructed you to do. {You should do those things} fairly, without favoring one person over another. |
Paul commands Timothy to be careful to keep these rules without favoritism.
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| Place hands hastily on no one, nor share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. | You should not too quickly touch people {to appoint them as leaders}. When they sin, you should not approve of it. You should avoid what is evil. |
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| No longer drink only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. | You should not drink only water. Instead, you should have a small amount of wine. It will make your stomach feel better and reduce how often you are sick. |
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| The sins of some men are evident, going ahead into judgment, but also they follow after some. | When some people sin, everyone knows about it before God punishes them. However, when other people sin, everyone knows about it only after {God punishes them}. |
The sins of some people are evident, but the sins of others are not known until the judgment.
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| Likewise, also the good works {are} evident, and the ones having otherwise are not able to be hidden. | In the same way, when people do what is right, everyone knows about it. Even when people do not seem to know about it, eventually everyone will know about it. |
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| As many as are slaves under a yoke, let them consider their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed. | All {believers} who are slaves should treat their masters as people whom they should respect in every way. That way, no one will insult God or what we teach. |
Paul said that slaves should regard their masters as worthy of all honor.
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| But the ones having believing masters, let them not despise {them} because they are brothers, but rather, let them serve {them} because the ones taking the benefaction are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things. | {Some believers who are} slaves have masters who trust in {Jesus}. Those slaves should not disrespect their masters because they are fellow believers. Instead, since the masters for whom they do what is good are people who trust in {Jesus} and whom God loves, those slaves should work for their masters. Instruct people about those things and tell them to do them. |
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| If anyone is teaching differently and does not come to the healthy words, the ones of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the teaching according to godliness, | Some people teach things that are different {from what is true}. They do not accept the right message that comes from our Lord Jesus the Messiah. They do not accept what we teach that enables people to honor God. |
The person who rejects healthy words and godly teaching is puffed up and understands nothing.
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| he is puffed up, understanding nothing, but being sick with controversies and battles about words, from which come envy, strife, blasphemies, evil suspicions, | These people are prideful. They know very little, but they obsess over resolving controversial issues and debating what words mean. When people act in that way, they become jealous of others. They fight with each other. They insult each other. They act in evil ways by suspecting others. |
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| constant friction of men having been corrupted {in} the mind and having been deprived of the truth, considering godliness to be a means of gain. | They frequently irritate each other. These are people who can no longer think properly. They cannot learn what is true. They think that honoring God is a good way to acquire money. |
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| But godliness with contentment is great gain. | However, we do acquire something valuable when we honor God while we are grateful for whatever we have. |
Paul says that godliness with contentment is great gain.
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| For we brought nothing into the world, that neither are we able to take anything out. | {We should focus on acquiring things besides money} because we owned nothing when our mothers gave birth to us. Indeed, we will no longer own anything when we die. |
We have brought nothing into the world and cannot take anything out.
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| But having food and covering, with these we will be satisfied. | So, we should be content as long as we can eat and have clothes to wear. |
We should be satisfied that we have food and clothing.
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| But the ones wanting to be rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires, whatever sinks men into ruin and destruction. | As for people who desire to become wealthy, they often think about sinning. They cannot stop what they are doing. The things that they want are senseless and bad for them, and they will eventually destroy these people. |
Those who desire to become wealthy fall into temptation and a trap.
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| For a root of all the evils is the love of money, which desiring, some have been led away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many sorrows. | {That is} because people do all sorts of evil things when they strongly desire to have money. When some people started desiring money, they stopped trusting in {Jesus}. By doing that, they have made themselves sorrowful in many ways. |
The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Some who have loved money have been led away from the faith.
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| But you, O man of God, flee these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. | However, you are a man who serves God. You must avoid those {evil} things. Instead, you should always try to do what is right. You should honor God. You should trust in {Jesus}. You should love {others}. You should persevere {when difficult things happen to you}. You should be gentle {with people}. |
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| Fight the good fight of the faith, grasp eternal life, to which you were called and {for which} you confessed the good confession before many witnesses. | You should persist in trusting in {Jesus} just as soldiers battle their enemies. You should make sure that you will live with God forever. God chose you for that. Also, that is why you claimed that you trusted in Jesus while many people listened to you. |
Paul says Timothy must fight the good fight of the faith.
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| I command you before God, the one making all alive, and Christ Jesus, the one having testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, | God is the one who enables everything that exists to live. Jesus the Messiah is the one who declared what was true when he was on trial before Pontius Pilate. They authorize what I am about to tell you to do. |
God dwells in unapproachable light.
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| that you keep the commandment spotless, irreproachable, until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, | You must obey what God has commanded. You should obey completely. No one should be able to rightly accuse you of doing anything wrong. Continue to obey until our Lord Jesus the Messiah returns {to this world}. |
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| which in its own times the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of the ones reigning and Lord of the ones ruling, will reveal, | God will cause Jesus to return at the right time. We praise God! There are no rulers more powerful than he is. He is king over all other kings. He is lord over all other lords. |
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| the only One having immortality, dwelling {in} unapproachable light, whom no one of men has seen, nor is able to see, to whom {be} honor and eternal power. Amen. | God is the only one who can never die. His place {in heaven} is so bright that no one can go near it! No human has looked at him, and no human can look at him. Let us praise him and acknowledge that he is powerful forever! May it be so! |
| ULT | UST |
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| Command the rich in the present age not to be proud, nor to hope in the uncertainty of riches, but in God,the one providing us all things richly for enjoyment, | You should tell believers who are wealthy right now that they should not think too highly of themselves. They should not trust in all the things that they have, because they cannot be certain how long they will have them. Instead, they should trust in God. He is the one who abundantly gives us everything that we have so that we can enjoy it. |
The rich should hope in God because he provides us with everything that we enjoy.
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| to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share, | {Tell those wealthy believers that} they should do very many good things. They should be ready to give away {what they have}. |
Those who are rich in good works store up for themselves a good foundation and grasp genuine life.
| ULT | UST |
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| storing up for themselves a good foundation for what is coming, so that they may grasp the real life. | {If they do those things,} they will establish the good things that they will have when God renews this world. {When they do those things,} they make sure that they will truly live {with God}. |
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| O Timothy, guard the deposit, turning away from the profane, empty sayings and oppositions of falsely-named knowledge, | Timothy, carefully preserve the true message that God has given to you. Refuse to listen when people say things that mean nothing and that have nothing to do with God. Do not pay attention when people argue against the good news, using what they claim is true. It is not really true. |
Paul tells Timothy to guard what has been entrusted to him.
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| which some, professing, have missed the mark concerning the faith. Grace {be} with you. | The people who claim those things have failed to persist in trusting in {Jesus}. {I pray that God will} be kind to you all. |