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Introduction

Paul and Timothy met about 49 or 50 CE (probably in Lystra), when Timothy was likely in his late teens or early twenties. Fatherly Paul chose this spiritually mature young brother as a co-worker (for 11 or more years they worked closely together). They preached, taught, and strengthened congregations in such places as Philippi, Thessalonica, and Beroea. Now, about 61-64 CE, Paul, in Macedonia, writes to Timothy, in Ephesus. Paul directs Timothy to "go on waging the fine warfare, holding faith and a good conscience, which some have thrust aside, resulting in the shipwreck of their faith."-First Timothy 1:18, 19. The apostle Paul also directs Timothy to "guard what has been entrusted to [him], turning away from the empty speeches that violate what is holy and from the contradictions of the falsely called 'knowledge.'"-First Timothy 6:20. No doubt, Timothy deeply appreciated Paul's divinely inspired wisdom, and took it to heart.

An excerpt

Chapter Two

"Adam was not deceived, but the woman was thoroughly deceived and became a transgressor."-First Timothy 2:14.

"You-you did not come
Within the appointed days,"
Saul said to Samuel. "The
Woman whom you gave
To be with me, she gave me
[Fruit]," Adam said. "The
Serpent-it deceived me,"
Eve said.

And the farmer said, "When
I plant onions, I don't get
Cucumbers." And so he is neither
Misled nor mocked. "Badly"
Matched stars and planets make
No difference. His little bags
Of seeds do not deceive him,
And he takes no responsibility
For the wind and rain and sun,
But each sunrise he peers into
His pounded copper mirror,
To inspect his beard.

The author

Dan Lukiv is a poet, novelist, columnist, short story and article writer, and independent education researcher (hermeneutic phenomenology). His creative writing has appeared in 19 countries. Recently, he has been experimenting with temporal shifts and narrative strings in his haiku and senryu.