2 Timothy 1–2

GREETING

1Paul,^a an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will,^b for the sake of the promise of life^c in Christ Jesus:

²To Timothy, my dearly loved son.

Grace, mercy, and peace^d from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

THANKSGIVING

³I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience^e as my ancestors did, when I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.^{f 4}Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵I recall your sincere faith^g that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice^h and now, I am convinced, is in you also.

⁶Therefore, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.^{i 7}For God has not given us a spirit of fear,^j but one of power,^Ak love,^l and sound judgment.

NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL

⁸So don’t be ashamed^m of the testimony about our Lord,ⁿ or of me his prisoner.^o Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power^p of God. ⁹He has saved us and called us with a holy calling,^q not according to our works,^r but according to his own purpose^s and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. ¹⁰This has now been made evident through the appearing^t of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death^u and has brought life^v and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹For this gospel I was appointed^w a herald, apostle, and teacher,^{B 12}and that is why I suffer^x these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me^Cy until that day.^z

BE LOYAL TO THE FAITH

¹³Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching^aa that you have heard from me,^ab in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. ¹⁵You know that all those in the province of Asia^ac have deserted me,^ad including Phygelus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶May the Lord grant mercy^ae to the household of Onesiphorus,^af because he often refreshed me^ag and was not ashamed of my chains.^{ah 17}On the contrary, when he was in Rome,^ai he diligently searched for me and found me. ¹⁸May the Lord grant that he obtain mercy^aj from him on that day. You know very well how much he ministered at Ephesus.^ak

BE STRONG IN GRACE

2You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace^al that is in Christ Jesus. ²What you have heard from me^am in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful^an men^A who will be able to teach others also.

³Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.^{ao 4}No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer. ⁵Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops.^{ap 7}Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

⁸Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead^aq and descended from David, according to my gospel, ⁹for which I suffer to the point of being bound like a criminal. But the word of God is not bound. ¹⁰This is why I endure^ar all things for the elect:^as so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.^{at 11}This saying is trustworthy:^au

For if we died with him,^av

we will also live with him;

¹²if we endure, we will also reign^aw with him;

if we deny him, he will also deny us;

¹³if we are faithless, he remains faithful,

for he cannot deny himself.

AN APPROVED WORKER

¹⁴Remind them of these things, and charge them before God^B not to fight about words.^a This is useless and leads to the ruin of those who listen. ¹⁵Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.^{b 16}Avoid irreverent and empty speech, since those who engage in it will produce even more godlessness,^{c 17}and their teaching will spread like gangrene. Hymenaeus^d and Philetus are among them. ¹⁸They have departed from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already taken place,^e and are ruining the faith of some.^{f 19}Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, bearing this inscription:^g The Lord knows those who are his,^Ch and let everyone who calls on the nameⁱ of^D the Lord turn away from wickedness.^j

²⁰Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels,^k but also those of wood and clay; some for honorable^E use and some for dishonorable.^{Fl 21}So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable,^G he will be a special^H instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.^m

²²Fleeⁿ from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace,^o along with those who call on the Lord^p from a pure heart. ²³But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, because you know that they breed quarrels. ²⁴The Lord’s^q servant must not quarrel,^r but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach,^I and patient, ²⁵instructing his opponents with gentleness.^s Perhaps God will grant them repentance^t leading them to the knowledge of the truth. ²⁶Then they may come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil,^u who has taken them captive to do his will.^v