4I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge^bc the living and the dead,^bd and because of his appearing and his kingdom:^be ²Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. ³For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine,^bf but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. ⁴They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.^a ⁵But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist,^b fulfill your ministry.

⁶For I am already being poured out as a drink offering,^c and the time for my departure is close. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸There is reserved for me the crown^d of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,^e will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.^A^f

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS

⁹Make every effort to come to me soon,^g ¹⁰because Demas^h has deserted me,ⁱ since he loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica.^j Crescens has gone to Galatia,^k Titus^l to Dalmatia. ¹¹Only Luke^m is with me. Bring Markⁿ with you, for he is useful to me in the ministry. ¹²I have sent Tychicus^o to Ephesus. ¹³When you come, bring the cloak I left in Troas^p with Carpus, as well as the scrolls, especially the parchments. ¹⁴Alexander^q the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his works. ¹⁵Watch out^r for him yourself because he strongly opposed our words.

¹⁶At my first defense, no one stood by me, but everyone deserted me.^s May it not be counted against them. ¹⁷But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that I might fully preach the word and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom.^t To him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

BENEDICTION

¹⁹Greet Prisca and Aquila,^u and the household of Onesiphorus.^v ²⁰Erastus^w has remained at Corinth; I left Trophimus^x sick at Miletus.^y ²¹Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.

²²The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.

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Footnotes

AOr have longed for his appearing

Cross references

bc Jn 5:22–30; Rm 5:18; 1Pt 4:5
bd Jn 5:25; Rm 14:9; 1Pt 4:5; Rv 18:8; 19:11
be Mk 1:15; Ac 20:25
bf Rm 15:4
a 1Tm 1:4; 4:7; Ti 1:14; 2Pt 1:16
b Ac 21:8; Eph 4:11
c Gn 35:14; Php 2:17
d Jn 15:17; Rv 12:1
e Lk 18:2,6; Jn 5:22–30; Ac 10:42; Heb 12:23
f Ti 2:13; 1Jn 2:28
g Ti 3:12
h Col 4:14; Phm 24
i 2Tm 1:15
j Ac 17:1
k Gl 1:2
l Ti 1:4
m Col 4:14; Phm 24
n Ac 15:37–39
o Ac 20:4; Ti 3:12
p Ac 16:8
q 1Tm 1:20
r 2Tm 1:14; 2Pt 3:17
s 2Tm 1:15
t Mk 1:15; Ac 20:25
u Ac 18:2
v 2Tm 1:16
w Ac 19:22; Rm 16:23
x Ac 20:4; 21:29
y Ac 20:15,17