^4:1I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ^4:2Preach the message,¹ be ready² whether it is convenient or not,³ reprove, rebuke, exhort⁴ with complete patience and instruction. ^4:3For there will be a time when people⁵ will not tolerate sound teaching. Instead, following their own desires,⁶ they will accumulate teachers for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things.⁷^4:4And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths.⁸^4:5You, however, be self-controlled⁹ in all things, endure hardship, do an evangelist’s work, fulfill your ministry. ^4:6For I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for me to depart¹⁰ is at hand. ^4:7I have competed well;¹¹ I have finished the race; I have kept the faith! ^4:8Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day—and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on¹² his appearing.

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2 Timothy 4:2: … preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

Footnotes

1 Or “the word.”
2 Or “be persistent.”
3 Grk “in season, out of season.”
4 Or “encourage.”
5 Grk “they”; the referent (the people in that future time) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 Grk “in accord with.”
7 Grk “having an itching in regard to hearing,” “having itching ears.”
8 These myths were legendary tales characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus and Crete. See parallels in 1 Tim 1:4; 4:7; and Titus 1:14.
9 Or “sober,” “temperate.”
10 Grk “of my departure.”
11 The expression I have competed well (Grk “I have competed the good competition”) uses words that may refer to a race or to a boxing or wrestling match: “run the good race” or “fight the good fight.” The similar phrase in 1 Tim 1:18 uses a military picture and is more literally “war the good warfare.”
12 Grk “all who have loved.”