A   Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ, ^note by the commyssy&obar; of God our sauyour, ∧ Lord Iesus Christ, which is ^note our hope.

Unto ^note Timothe hys naturall sonne in the fayth.

^noteGrace mercy and peace from God oure father, ∧ fr&obar; þe; Lord Iesus Christ our Lorde.

As I besought the to abyde styll at Ephesus (wh&ebar; I departed into ^note Macedonia) eu&ebar; so do, that þu; c&obar;maunde some, that they folowe no straunge doctrine, nether geue hede ^note to fables ∧ endles genealogyes whych brede doubtes more then Godlye edifyinge, which is by fayth for the ende of the commaundement B    is, ^note loue out of a ^note pure herte, and of a good conscience, and of fayth vnfayned: fr&obar; the whych thynges, because some haue erred, they are turned vnto vayne i&abar;gelynge, because they wolde be doctours of the lawe, and yet vnderstande not what they speake, nether wherof they affyrme.

&cross2; We knowe, that ^note the lawe is good, yf a man vse it lawfully: knowynge thys, ^note howe that the lawe is not geu&ebar; vnto a ryghteous man, but vnto the vnryghteous and disobedyent, to the vngodly and to synners, to vnholy and vncleane: to murtherers of fathers and murtherers of mothers, to manstears, to ^note whormongers: to them that defyle them selues whyth mankynde: to m&abar;stealers: to lyars, to periured, and yf ther be eny other thynge that is c&obar;trary to the holsome doctryne, accordynge to the Gospell of the glory of the blessed God, whych Gospell is commytted vnto me.

C   And I thanke Chryst Iesus oure Lorde, whych hath made me str&obar;ge: for he counted me true, and put me in offyce where as before I was a blasphemer, ^note and a persecuter, ∧ a Tyraunt. But yet I obtayned mercy, because I dyd it ignorauntly thorowe vnbelefe. Neuerthelesse, þe; grace of oure Lorde was exceadynge aboundaunt with fayth and loue, whych is by Christ Iesu. &cross3;

&cross2; This is a true sayinge (and by all meanes worthy to be receaued of vs) þt; ^note Chryst Iesus came into þe; worlde, to saue synners, of whom I am chefe. Not wythstandynge for this cause optayned I mercy, that Iesus Christ shulde fyrst shewe on me all longe paci&ebar;ce, to declare an ensample vnto th&ebar; which shulde beleue on him vnto eternall lyfe. So then vnto God, kynge euerlastynge, immortall ^note inuisyble, wyse onely, be honoure and prayse for euer and euer. D   Amen.

Thys commaundement commyt I vnto the sonne Timotheus &rhand; accordynge to the prophesyes, whych &ibar; tyme past were prophesyed of the, that thou in them shuldest fyght a good fyght, hauynge fayth and good conscyence: whych some haue put awaye from them, and as concernynge fayth haue made shypwracke. Of whose nombre is ^note Hymeneus and ^note Alexander whom ^note I haue delyuered vnto Sat&abar;, that they maye lerne not to blaspheme. ¶ The .ij. Chapter. ¶ He exhorteth to praye for all men. He wyll not haue wemen to be ouer costly apparelled, nor to teach in the congregacyon, but to be in sylence, ∧ to obeye theyr husbandes.

A   I Exhorte therfore, that aboue all thynges, prayers, supplicacyons, intercessions, and geuynge of th&abar;kes be had for all men: ^note for kynges, and for all that are in auctorite, that we maye lyue a quyet and a peaceable lyfe, wyth all Godlynes and honestye. For that is good and accepted in þe; syght of God oure sauyoure, whych &rhand; wyll haue all m&ebar; to be saued, and to come vnto the knowledge of þe; trueth. For ther is ^note one God, and one ^note mediator betwene God and man, euen the man Christ Iesus, whych gaue him selfe a raunsome for all men, that it shulde be testifyed at hys tyme, ^note where vnto I am ordayned a preacher and an Apostle. I tell the trueth in Christ and lye not: beynge the teacher of the gentyls wyth fayth and veritye. &cross3;

B   I wyll therfore that the men ^note praye euery where, lyftynge vp pure handes without wrath, or doubtinge. Lykewise also the wemen, that they araye them selues in comlye apparell wyth shamfastnes and discrete behaueour, not &wt; broyded heare, ether golde or pearles, or costly araye: but as bec&obar;meth wemen, that professe godlynesse thorowe good worckes. ^noteLet the woman learne in sylence wyth all subieccyon. But I suffre not a woman to teach, nether to vsurpe auctoryte ouer the man: but to be in sylence. For

Adam was fyrst fourmed, ∧ then Eue. Ad&abar; also was not deceaued, but the wom&abar; was deceaued, and was subdued to the transgressyon. Notwythst&abar;dynge thorowe bearynge of chyldren she shalbe saued, yf they contynue in fayth and loue, and holynes, wyth discrecyon. ¶ The .iij. Chapter. ¶ What maner of m&abar; a byshoppe or preste ought to be. The propertyes also requyred in a deac&obar; or mynyster.

A   This is a true sayinge: If a m&abar; desyer the offyce of a Bysshoppe, he desyreth an honest worke. A Bisshoppe therfore must be blameles, þe; husbande of one wyfe, dilygent, sober, discrete, a keper of hospitalite: apte to teach: not geu&ebar; to ouer moch wyne, no fyghter, not gredy of fylthye lucre. but g&ebar;tle, abhorryng fyghtynge, abhorrynge coueteousnes, one þt; ruleth well his awne house, one þt; hath chyldren in subieccyon with all reuer&ebar;ce. For yf a man c&abar;not rule his awne house, howe shall he care for the congregacyon of God? He maye not be a yonge scoler, lest he swell and fall into the iudgement of the euyll speaker. He must also haue a good reporte of them whych are without, lest he fall into rebuke, and snare of the euyll speaker.

B   Lyke wyse must the mynisters be ^note honest, not double tonged, not geu&ebar; vnto moch wyne, nether gredy of fylthy lucre: but holdynge the mystery of the fayth with a pure conscience. And let them fyrst be proued, and then let th&ebar; mynister so, that no man be able to reproue them.

Euen so must theyr wyues be honest, not euyll speakers: but sober and faythfull in all thynges. Let the Deacons be the husbandes of one wyfe, and such as rule theyr chyldren well, and their awne housholdes. For ^note they that mynister well, get them selues a good degre and greate lybertye in þe; fayth, whych is in Christ Iesu.

C   These thynges write I vnto the trustinge to come shortely vnto the: but and yf I tarie longe, that then thou mayst yet haue knowledge, howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God, whych is the congregacyon of the lyuynge God, the pyllar ∧ grounde of trueth. And without doute great is that mystery of godlynes: ^note God was shewed in the flesshe, was &rhand; iustifyed in the sprete, was sene amonge the Angels, was preached vnto the gentyls, was beleued on in the worlde, and receaued vp in glory. ¶ The .iiij. Chapter. ¶ He prophecyeth of the latter dayes, and exhorteth Timothe to be diligent in readynge of the holy scrypture.

A   The sprete speaketh euydently, that ^note in the later tymes some shall ^note departe from the fayth, and shall geue hede vnto spretes of erroure, and deuelysshe doctrines of them which speake false thorowe ypocrysye, ∧ haue their c&obar;sci&ebar;ces marcked &wt; an hote yr&obar;, forbyddynge to mary, ∧ c&obar;ma&ubar;dynge to abstayne fr&obar; meates ^note which God hath created to be receaued ^note with geuynge th&abar;ckes, of them whych beleue, ∧ knowe the trueth. For ^note all the creatures of God are good, ∧ nothynge to be refused, yf it be receaued with th&abar;kesgeuynge. For it is sanctified by the worde of God ∧ prayer. If thou put þe; brethr&ebar; in rem&ebar;bra&ubar;ce of these thynges thou shalt be a good mynyster of Iesu Chryst ^note whych hast bene norisshed vp in þe; wordes of þe; fayth ∧ of good doctrine, whych thou hast c&obar;tinually followed. But ^note cast awaye vngostly and olde wyues fables.

B   Exercyse thy selfe rather vnto godlynes. For ^note bodely exercyse profyteth lytell: but godlynes is profytable vnto all thynges, as a thinge which hath promyses of þe; lyfe that is nowe, ∧ of the lyfe to come. This is a sure sayinge, ∧ by all meanes worthy to be alowed. For therfore we bothe laboure ∧ suffre rebuke, because we haue a stead fast hope in the lyuinge God, which is the saueoure of all men, specially of those that beleue. Soch thynges commaunde ∧ teache. ^noteLet no man despyse thy youth ^note but be vnto th&ebar; that beleue, an ensample, in worde, in conuersacy&obar;, in loue, in sprete, in fayth, in purenes.

C   Tyll I come, geue att&ebar;da&ubar;ce to readynge, to exhortacyon, to doctrine. Despyse not the gyfte that is in the, whych was geuen þe; thorowe prophesye, with þe; ^note layinge on of handes by þe; auctoryte of presthode. These thinges exercyse, and geue thy selfe vnto them, that it maye be sene, howe thou profetest in all thynges. Take hede vnto thy selfe, and vnto learnynge, and continue therin. For yf thou shalt so do, thou shalt saue thy selfe, ∧ them that heare the. ¶ The .v. Chapter. ¶ He teacheth hym howe he shall behaue hym selfe in rebukinge of all degrees. An ordre concernynge wyddowes.

A   Rebuke not an elder, rygorously ^note but exhorte him as a father: the y&obar;ger men, as brethren: the elder wemen, as mothers: the yonger as systers, &wt; all purenes. Honoure wyddowes, which are true wyddowes. If eny wyddow haue chyldren or nevews, let th&ebar; learne fyrst to rule their awne houses godly ^note ∧ to recompense their elders. For þt; is good ∧ acceptable before God. She þt; is a true ^note wyddowe ∧ fr&ebar;delesse, putteth her trust in God, ∧ c&obar;tynueth in supplicacyons and prayers nyght ∧ daye. But she þt; lyueth in pleasure, is deed, euen yet alyue. And these thynges c&obar;ma&ubar;de that they maye be without rebuke. But yf eny prouide not for her awne (∧ specially for them of her housholde) the same hath denyed the fayth, and is worsse then an infydell.

B   Let no wyddowe be chosen vnder threscore yere olde, ∧ soch a one as was þe; wyfe of one man, and well reported of men in good workes: yf she haue brought vp chyldr&ebar;, ^note yf she haue lodged strangers, yf she haue wesshed the saynctes fete, yf she haue mynistred vnto them whych were in aduersytie, yf she haue bene contynually geu&ebar; vnto all maner of good worckes. The yonger wyddowes refuse. For wh&ebar; they haue beg&obar;ne to were w&abar;t&obar; agaynst Christ, they wyll mary, hauynge damnacyon, because they haue cast awaye their fyrst fayth. And also they learne to goo from house to house ydle: yee not ydle onely, but also tatlers and besybodyes, speakynge thynges which are not comly.

C   I wyll therfore that the yonger wemen ^note mary, to beare chyldr&ebar;, to guyde the house, and geue none occasyon to the aduersary to speake euyll. For many of them are all ready turned backe, and are gone after Satan. And yf eny man or woman that beleueth haue wyddowes, let th&ebar; mynyster vnto them, ∧ let not the congregacyon be charged: that there maye be sufficyent for them that are wyddowes in dede.

The elders that rule well, are worthy of double honoure, most specially they whych laboure in the worde ∧ teachynge. For the scripture sayth: ^note thou shalt not moosel the mouth of þe; oxe that treadeth out the corne. And ^note the labourer is worthy of his reward. Agaynst an elder, receaue none accusacyon: but ^note vnder two or thre witnesses. &rhand; Th&ebar; that synne, rebuke openly, that other also maye feare.

I testifye before God and the Lord Iesus Christ ∧ the electe angels, that thou obserue these thynges without hastynesse of iudgement, ∧ do noth&ibar;ge parcially. ^noteLaye h&abar;des sod&ebar;ly on no m&abar;, nether be partaker of other m&ebar;s synnes: kepe thy selfe pure. Dryncke no lenger water, but ^note vse a lytell wyne for thy st&obar;makes sake and thyne often dyseases.

Some mennes synnes are open before h&abar;de, and go before vnto iudgem&ebar;t: ∧ some m&ebar;nes synnes folowe after. Lykewyse also good workes are manifest before h&abar;de, and they that are other wyse, cannot be hyd. ¶ The .vi. Chapter. ¶ The dutye of seruauntes towarde their masters. Agaynst soch as are not satisfied with the worde of God. Agaynst coueteousnes. A good lesson for ryche men.

A   Let as many ^note serua&ubar;tes as are vnder the yoke, counte theyr masters worthy of all honour, that þe; name of God ∧ hys doctryne be not euyll spoken of. Se that they whych haue beleuynge masters, despyse th&ebar; not because they are brethren: but rather do seruyce, for as moch as they are beleuynge and beloued, ∧ partakers of the benefyte.

These thynges teach ∧ exhorte. ^noteIf eny man folowe other doctrine, and enclyne not vnto the wholsome wordes of oure Lorde Iesu Christ, and to the doctrine which is accordynge to Godlynes, he is pufte vp, and knoweth nothynge: but wasteth hys braynes about questi&obar;s and ^note stryfe, of wordes, wherof sprynge enuye, stryfe, raylynges, euyll surmisynges, vayne disputacyon of m&ebar; that haue corrupte myndes, ∧ that are ^note robbed of the trueth: which thynke, that lucre is godlynes. B   From them that are soch separate thy selfe. Godlynes is greate ryches ^note If a man be content with that he hath. ^noteFor we brought nothynge into the worlde, nether maye we cary any thynge out.

But when we haue fode and rayment we must ther with be content. They that wylbe ryche, fall into temptacyon and snares, (of the deuyll) ∧ into many folysshe ∧ noysome lustes, which droune men into perdicyon ∧ destruccyon. For coueteousnes of money is the rote of all euyll: whych whyll some lusted after, they erred from the fayth, ∧ tanglyd th&ebar; selues with many sorowes. But thou man of God, flye soch thynges. C   Folowe ryghtewesnes, godlynes, fayth, loue, paci&ebar;ce, meaknes. Fyght the good fyght of fayth. Laye, hande on eternall lyfe, wher vnto thou art also called, and hast professed a good professyon before many witnesses.

I geue þe; charge in þe; syght of God, ^note which quickneth all thynges, ∧ before Iesu Chryst (which vnder Poncius Pylate wytnessed a good witnessyng) þt; thou kepe þe; c&obar;maundem&ebar;t, ∧ be without spotte and vnrebukeable, vntyll the appearynge of oure Lorde Iesus Christ, ^note which appearyng (in hys tyme) he shall shewe, that is blessed ∧ myghty onely, kynge of kynges, ∧ Lorde of Lordes, whych onely hath immortalite, and dwelleth in the lyght that no man can attayne, ^note whom no man hath sene, nether can se, vnto whom be honoure and rule euerlastynge. Amen.

D   Charge th&ebar; which are ryche in this world, that they be not hye mynded, ner ^note trust in vncertayne ryches, but in the lyuinge God (which geueth vs abounda&ubar;tly all thynges to enioye th&ebar;) that they do good: that they be riche in good workes: that they be redy to geue ∧ gladly to distribute, ^note laying vp in store for th&ebar; selues a good fundaci&obar; aga&ibar;st þe; tyme to come, þt; they maye obtayne eternall lyfe.

O Timothe, saue that which is geuen the to kepe, and avoyde vngostly vanyties of voyces and opposycyons of science falsly so called: whych science whyle some professed, they erred as concernynge the fayth. Grace be with the. Amen. ¶ Sent from Laodicea, which is the chefest cytie of Phrigia. Pacaciana.

Previous section

Next section