6:20 O Timothy, protect what has been entrusted to you. Avoid 3 the profane chatter and absurdities 4 of so-called “knowledge.” 5
Teach them and exhort them about these things. 8
2:1 First of all, then, I urge that requests, 11 prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people, 12
1 sn Those myths refer to legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 1:4; 2 Tim 4:4; and Titus 1:14.
2 tn Grk “the godless and old-wifely myths.”
3 tn Grk “avoiding.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
4 tn Or “contradictions.”
5 tn Grk “the falsely named knowledge.”
6 tn Or “think the less of them”; Grk “despise them,” “look down on them.”
7 tn Or “those who devote themselves to service are faithful and dearly loved” (referring to slaves who serve them).
8 tn Grk “these things teach and exhort.”
9 tn This phrase uses a compound form of the same verb as in v. 14a: “deceived” vs. “deceived out, completely deceived.” The two verbs could be synonymous, but because of the close contrast in this context, it seems that a stronger meaning is intended for the second verb.
10 tn Grk “has come to be in transgression” (with an emphasis on the continuing consequences of that fall).
11 tn Or “petitions.”
12 tn Grk “all men”; but here ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) is used generically, referring to both men and women.
13 tn Grk “nothing.”
14 sn Jewish myths were legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 1:4; 4:7; and 2 Tim 4:4.
15 tn Grk “before eternal ages.”