I instruct you how people who belong to God’s family and who hold fast to the truth should conduct themselves.

1 Timothy 2:1—3:16

2 The first (OR, most important) thing that I urge you to tell your congregation is that Christians should continually ask God for what they need. They should also pray to God for all other people, and they should be thanking God. 2 Specifically, they should pray for rulers and for all other people who ◄are in important government positions/have authority►, in order that God will help them to rule. As God enables the rulers to rule well, we can live very peaceably as we conduct ours lives doing all that God and others consider to be right and proper. 3 It is good to pray like that, and it pleases God, who saves us, when we pray like that. 4 He desires to save everyone. He wants everyone to fully know and accept his true message. 5 He is the only one true God! And there is only one person who talks to God on behalf of people. That person is Christ Jesus, who himself is a man! 6 He gave ◄his life/himself► as a sacrifice in order to ransom/redeem all people, which showed at the proper time that God desires that all people be saved {to save all people}. 7 As for me, he appointed me to declare this message and to be an apostle. I am telling the truth about God appointing me. I am not lying! He appointed me to teach the non-Jews that they should believe God’s true message.

8 I desire that in every place where believers worship, the men who pray publicly [MTY] should be men who are not practicing sin. When they pray, they should not be angry with anyone and they should not doubt that God will answer their prayers (OR, should not quarrel with anyone). 9 I would like that the clothing that women wear be ◄modest and sensible/proper and appropriate► [DOU]. I want them to not fix their hair in fancy/elaborate ways, nor wear gold jewelry, nor pearls, nor expensive clothing in order that they may make themselves attractive. 10 Instead, they should be doing things that women who ◄claim to/say that they► worship God should do; that is, they should be doing good deeds. 11 Women must learn to listen quietly during the worship services and to fully subject themselves to the leaders of the congregation. 12 I do not permit women to teach men spiritual truth publicly, and I do not permit them to have authority over men. Instead, I desire that women listen quietly during the worship services. 13 Keep in mind that God made Adam first, and afterwards he made Eve, 14 and that it was not Adam whom Satan deceived. As a result of the woman being deceived, she sinned. She did what God had told her not to do. 15 But even though she did that, now women will be saved {God will accept women} as they bear children if they continue to trust God and if they continue to love others, and if they continue to live in a way that is more and more ◄acceptable to God/like God wants them to►, and if they continue to be modest.

3 Anyone who aspires to be an elder in the congregation (OR, a bishop) desires a noble/honorable task. 2 Since that is a task that others should respect, an overseer must live in such a way that no one can truly ◄say that he has done anything that is wrong/find fault with him►. Specifically, he must be faithful to his wife. He must think clearly about what he does. He must be able to control his behavior. He must be sensible. He must be dignified/respectable. He must welcome and care for guests. He must be able to teach God’s truth well. 3 He must not be a drunkard. He must not be ready/quick to fight those who make him angry. On the contrary, he must be gentle and he must not be quarrelsome. He must not be greedy for a lot of money. 4 He must lead and care for his own household/family well. For example, he must be a man whom his children obey and completely respect, 5 because if anyone does not know how he should lead well and care for well the people who live in his own house, ◄he certainly cannot care for God’s congregation!/how can he care for God’s congregation?► [RHQ] 6 He must not be one who has just recently trusted in Jesus, because if you choose a man like that, he might become conceited/proud because you chose him so soon. As a result of his being conceited/proud, God will condemn him like he condemned the devil because he was conceited/proud. 7 Moreover, an elder must live in such a way that non-Christians speak well of him, because if he conducts himself like that, people will not say evil things about him, and the devil will not capture/trap him [MET] like people capture animals in a trap.

8 Those whom you choose to serve as deacons likewise must be ones who conduct themselves suitably/appropriately. Specifically, they must be ◄serious/worthy that people respect them►. They must ◄be sincere/mean what they say►. They must not like to drink a lot of alcohol. They must not ◄be greedy/have a strong desire to get money►. 9 They must sincerely believe the message that God has now revealed to us. 10 Like you do for the elders, you must examine ◄their character/how they conduct their lives► before you appoint them to serve. Then if they are without fault, let them serve as deacons. 11 Their wives (OR, The women who are deacons) likewise must conduct themselves suitably/appropriately. Specifically, they must be ◄serious/worthy that people respect them►. They must not speak evil about people. They must not drink a lot of alcohol. They must be faithful in everything that they do. 12 Deacons must be faithful to their wives, and they must lead well and care well for their children and other people in their houses. 13 Because if deacons serve well, people will respect them, and they will be able to speak very boldly/confidently about what they believe concerning Christ Jesus.

14 Although I hope that I will come and visit you soon, I am writing these things to you now 15 in order that if I ◄am delayed/things prevent me from visiting to you soon►, you will know how believers should conduct their lives and you will be able to teach that to them. I am talking about all those who are members of God’s family, all the congregations that belong to the all-powerful God, all those who uphold/support [MET] the true message. 16 It is certainly true that the message that God has now revealed is very wonderful! From it, we learn this spiritual truth that we say/sing about Christ (OR, We affirm this teaching to be true and very important.) It is what shows us how to live ◄in a godly manner/in a manner that pleases God►. It is what God has now revealed, even though it was not known before. We ◄affirm/say that it is true► concerning Jesus Christ that,

He is the one who appeared on the earth in a human body.

God’s Spirit showed/demonstrated that he is/was truly the Messiah (OR, that he always acted righteously);

Angels saw him; people preached about him in many nations;

People in many parts of the world believed the message about him.

God took him up into heaven.