1 Timothy 2

¹First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, ²for kings and all who hold high positions, so that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in complete devotion to God and dignity. ³This is good and acceptable before God our Savior, ⁴who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God, and one mediator between God and humanity, himself human, Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave himself as a ransom for all—the testimony at the appointed times. ⁷For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth; I am not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸So I want the men in every place to pray, lifting holy hands without anger or argument. ⁹Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves in respectable clothing, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive clothes, ¹⁰but with good deeds, as is fitting for women who profess reverence for God.

¹¹Let a woman learn in quietness, with full submission. ¹²I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to be in quietness. ¹³For Adam was formed first, then Eve. ¹⁴And Adam was not deceived, but the woman, having been deceived, fell into transgression. ¹⁵But she will be saved through childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Translation notes 5

2:2 — “Devotion to God.” Often “godliness” or “piety.” The expression includes conduct shaped by reverence, not merely private religious feeling; it recurs throughout the letter.

2:4–6 — “All”; “himself human.” The breadth of “all” is retained. In verse 5 the Greek identifies Christ with humanity using the same word family as “people,” rather than the specifically male term used in verse 8.

2:9 — “Braided hair and gold.” Costly adornment is explicitly named. The draft preserves the contrast with good deeds without turning it into a detailed modern dress code.

2:11–12 — “Quietness”; “exercise authority.” Quietness can mean a settled, non-disruptive manner; it does not by itself require complete silence. The rare authority verb is disputed: “assume authority over” and “domineer over” are significant alternatives. “Woman” and “man” can also mean “wife” and “husband.” The text does not explicitly say “temporarily,” “teach falsely,” or “in every age.”

2:15 — “She…they”; “saved through childbearing.” Both the number change and the difficult claim are in the Greek. The relationship between salvation and childbearing is disputed; proposals include salvation in the course of maternal life, preservation through childbirth, and a reference to Christ's birth. The draft leaves the connection unresolved.