Day 81 of 90

¹I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks, be made for all men:

²for kings and all who are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence.

³For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;

⁴who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth.

⁵For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

⁶who gave himself as a ransom for all; the testimony in its own times;

⁷to which I was appointed a proclaimer and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting.

⁹In the same way, that women also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety; not just with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing;

¹⁰but (which becomes women professing godliness) with good works.

¹¹Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection.

¹²But I do not permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness.

¹³For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

¹⁴Adam was not deceived, but the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience;

¹⁵but she will be saved through her childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and sanctification with sobriety.

¹This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer, he desires a good work.

²The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;

³not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;

⁴one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

⁵(but if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

⁶not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

⁷Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.

⁸Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money;

⁹holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

¹⁰Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.

¹¹Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

¹²Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

¹³For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

¹⁵but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

¹⁶Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: He was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

¹But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,

²through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron;

³forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

⁴For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.

⁵For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

⁶If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which you have followed.

⁷But refuse profane and old wives' tales. Exercise yourself toward godliness.

⁸For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.

⁹This saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance.

¹⁰For to this end we both labor and strive, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

¹¹Command and teach these things.

¹²Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in faith, and in purity.

¹³Until I come, pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching.

¹⁴Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders.

¹⁵Be diligent in these things. Give yourself wholly to them, that your progress may be revealed to all.

¹⁶Pay attention to yourself, and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

¹Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brothers;

²the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity.

³Honor widows who are widows indeed.

⁴But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety towards their own family, and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God.

⁵Now she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, has her hope set on God, and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.

⁶But she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives.

⁷Also command these things, that they may be without reproach.

⁸But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹Let no one be enrolled as a widow under sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,

¹⁰being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.

¹¹But refuse younger widows, for when they have grown wanton against Christ, they desire to marry;

¹²having condemnation, because they have rejected their first pledge.

¹³Besides, they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.

¹⁴I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for reviling.

¹⁵For already some have turned aside after Satan.

¹⁶If any woman who believes has widows, let her assist them, and do not let the church be burdened; that it might help those widows who are truly in need.

¹⁷Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

¹⁸For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox when it treads out the grain." And, "The laborer is worthy of his wages."

¹⁹Do not receive an accusation against an elder, except at the word of two or three witnesses.

²⁰Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.

²¹I command you in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.

²²Lay hands hastily on no one, neither be a participant in other men's sins. Keep yourself pure.

²³Be no longer a drinker of water only, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities.

²⁴Some men's sins are evident, preceding them to judgment, and some also follow later.

²⁵In the same way also there are good works that are obvious, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.

¹Let as many as are bondservants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the doctrine not be blasphemed.

²Those who have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brothers, but rather let them serve them, because those who partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

³If anyone teaches a different doctrine, and does not consent to sound words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness,

⁴he is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,

⁵constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain.

⁷For we brought nothing into the world, so neither can we carry anything out.

⁸But having food and clothing, we will be content with that.

⁹But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction.

¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

¹¹But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

¹²Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.

¹³I command you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession,

¹⁴that you keep the commandment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ;

¹⁵which in its own times he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

¹⁶who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

¹⁷Charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be haughty, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy;

¹⁸that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

¹⁹laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of that which is truly life.

²⁰Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called;

²¹which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with you.

¹Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,

²to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³I thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day

⁴longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy;

⁵having been reminded of the unfeigned faith that is in you; which lived first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and, I am persuaded, in you also.

⁶For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

⁷For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

⁸Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,

⁹who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,

¹⁰but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News.

¹¹For this, I was appointed as a proclaimer, an apostle, and a teacher.

¹²For this cause I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.

¹³Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

¹⁵This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me; of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

¹⁶May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain,

¹⁷but when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently, and found me

¹⁸(the Lord grant to him to find the Lord's mercy in that day); and in how many things he served at Ephesus, you know very well.

¹You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

²The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

³You therefore must share in hardship, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

⁴No soldier on duty entangles himself in the affairs of life, that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.

⁵Also, if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he has competed by the rules.

⁶The farmers who labor must be the first to get a share of the crops.

⁷Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things.

⁸Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my Good News,

⁹in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God's word is not chained.

¹⁰Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones' sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

¹¹This saying is faithful: "For if we died with him, we will also live with him.

¹²If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.

¹³If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself."

¹⁴Remind them of these things, charging them in the presence of God, that they do not argue about words, to no profit, to the subverting of those who hear.

¹⁵Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth.

¹⁶But shun empty chatter, for they will proceed further in ungodliness,

¹⁷and their word will consume like gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

¹⁸men who have erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past, and overthrowing the faith of some.

¹⁹However God's firm foundation stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness."

²⁰Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor, and some for dishonor.

²¹If anyone therefore purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master's use, prepared for every good work.

²²Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

²³But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.

²⁴The Lord's servant must not quarrel, but be gentle towards all, able to teach, patient,

²⁵in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth,

²⁶and they may recover themselves out of the devil's snare, having been taken captive by him to his will.

¹But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come.

²For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

³without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,

⁴traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;

⁵holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. Turn away from these, also.

⁶For of these are those who creep into houses, and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

⁷always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

⁸Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so do these also oppose the truth; men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.

⁹But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.

¹⁰But you did follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,

¹¹persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. Out of them all the Lord delivered me.

¹²Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

¹³But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

¹⁴But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.

¹⁵From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,

¹⁷that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

¹I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his Kingdom:

²proclaim the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching.

³For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts;

⁴and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside to myths.

⁵But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.

⁶For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.

⁷I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.

⁸From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.

⁹Be diligent to come to me soon,

¹⁰for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.

¹¹Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.

¹²But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

¹³Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come, and the books, especially the parchments.

¹⁴Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his works,

¹⁵of whom you also must beware; for he greatly opposed our words.

¹⁶At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them.

¹⁷But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

¹⁸And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁹Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus.

²⁰Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick.

²¹Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

²²The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

¹Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's chosen ones, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,

²in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began;

³but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;

⁴to Titus, my true child according to a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

⁵I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you;

⁶if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior.

⁷For the overseer must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;

⁸but given to hospitality, as a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled;

⁹holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.

¹⁰For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

¹¹whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain's sake.

¹²One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons."

¹³This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

¹⁴not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

¹⁵To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

¹⁶They profess that they know God, but by their works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.

¹But say the things which fit sound doctrine,

²that older men should be temperate, sensible, sober minded, sound in faith, in love, and in patience:

³and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good;

⁴that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,

⁵to be sober minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that God's word may not be blasphemed.

⁶Likewise, exhort the younger men to be sober minded;

⁷in all things showing yourself an example of good works. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness,

⁸and a sound message that cannot be condemned; that he who opposes you may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us.

⁹Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing in all things; not contradicting;

¹⁰not stealing, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior, in all things.

¹¹For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

¹²instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world;

¹³looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ;

¹⁴who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.

¹⁵Say these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no man despise you.

¹Remind them to be in subjection to rulers and to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,

²to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men.

³For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

⁴But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared,

⁵not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of rebirth and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

⁶whom he poured out on us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior;

⁷that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

⁸This saying is faithful, and concerning these things I desire that you affirm confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men;

⁹but shun foolish questionings, genealogies, strife, and disputes about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

¹⁰Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning;

¹¹knowing that such a one is perverted, and sins, being self-condemned.

¹²When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me to Nicopolis, for I have determined to winter there.

¹³Send Zenas, the Law scholar, and Apollos on their journey speedily, that nothing may be lacking for them.

¹⁴Let our people also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they may not be unfruitful.

¹⁵All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in faith. Grace be with you all.

¹Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,

²and to Apphia our sister, to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

⁵hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

⁶that the fellowship of your faith may become effective, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ.

⁷For I have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

⁸Therefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,

⁹yet for love's sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

¹⁰I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus,

¹¹who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.

¹²I am sending back to you, him who is my very heart,

¹³whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.

¹⁴But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.

¹⁵For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever,

¹⁶no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

¹⁸But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.

¹⁹I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).

²⁰Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

²²Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

²³Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

²⁴as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

²⁵The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

¹God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

²has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.

³His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made, through himself, purification for sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

⁴having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have.

⁵For to which of the angels did he say at any time, "You are my Son. Today have I become your father?" and again, "I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?"

⁶Again, when he brings in the firstborn into the world he says, "Let all the angels of God worship him."

⁷Of the angels he says, "Who makes his angels winds, and his servants a flame of fire."

⁸But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom.

⁹You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows."

¹⁰And, "You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands.

¹¹They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does.

¹²As a mantle, you will roll them up, and like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will have no end."

¹³But which of the angels has he told at any time, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?"

¹⁴Are not they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?