1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according
to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 to Timothy, my beloved
son: grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our
Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my
forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.
4 As I recall your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.
5 For I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your
grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am sure is in you as
well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God
which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not
give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power and love and self-
discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed to testify of our Lord or of me his
prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the
power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to his own purpose and the grace
which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but has now
been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has
abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the
gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a
teacher. 12 For this reason I also suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for
I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that he is able to guard
what I have entrusted to him until that day. 13 Follow the pattern of
sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which
are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us,
the treasure that has been entrusted to you.
15 You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away
from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord
grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me
and was not ashamed of my chains; 17 but when he was in Rome, he
eagerly searched for me and found meó18 may the Lord grant him to find
mercy from the Lord on that Dayóand you know very well all the service
he rendered at Ephesus.
2
1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ
Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard from me in the presence of many
witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3
Share in hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active
service gets entangled in civilian affairs, since his aim is to please the one
who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he
does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The
hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.
7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in
everything.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from
David according to my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the
point of wearing chains like a criminal. But the word of God is not
chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that
they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal
glory. 11 Here is a trustworthy saying:
if we died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
14 Remind them of these things, and charge them in the presence
of God to avoid disputing about words, which does no good, but only
ruins the hearers. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one
approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly handling
the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, for it will lead people into
more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene.
Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have gone astray from
the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and upset
the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God's firm foundation stands, having
this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who
names the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." 20 In a
large house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood
and earthenware, and some for noble use, some for ignoble. 21 If anyone
cleanses himself from what is ignoble, he will be a vessel for noble
purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good
work. 22 Now flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith,
love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because
you know that they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not
be quarrelsome, but he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, patient
when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in
opposition, if perhaps God will grant them repentance leading to the
knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape
from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
3
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times
of stress. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful,
arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3
unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, haters of
good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God, 5 holding a form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid
such people. 6 For among them are those who make their way into
households and capture weak women, weighed down with sins and
swayed by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to
the knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,
so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in
regard to the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be
plain to all, as was that of those two men.
10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my conduct, my
purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, and sufferings,
such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what
persecutions I endured, yet the Lord rescued me from them all. 12 Indeed
all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13
while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and
being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and
have become convinced of, knowing from whom you learned it, 15 and
how from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able
to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All
scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God
may be complete, equipped for every good work.
4
1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ
Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and
his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season;
correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the
time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but having
itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their
own desires, 4 and will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside
to myths. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work
of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the
time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 In the future there is laid up for
me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will
award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have
loved his appearing.
9 Do your best to come to me soon; 10 for Demas, having loved
this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens
has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get
Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me in my ministry. 12
But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak
that I left with Carpus at Troas, and the books, especially the parchments.
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him
for his deeds. 15 Be on guard against him yourself, for he strongly
opposed our message.
16 At my first defense no one came to my support, but all
deserted me; may it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood at
my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be
fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued
from the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack
and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for
ever and ever. Amen.
19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
20 Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. 21
Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do
Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren. 22 The Lord be with
your spirit. Grace be with you.