³I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day when I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as my ancestors did. ⁴I remember your tears and want to see you so that I can be filled with happiness. ⁵I’m reminded of how sincere your faith is. That faith first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. I’m convinced that it also lives in you.

Paul’s Advice for Timothy

⁶You received a gift from God when I placed my hands on you ⸤to ordain you⸥. Now I’m reminding you to fan that gift into flames. ⁷God didn’t give us a cowardly spirit but a spirit of power, love, and good judgment. ⁸So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord or be ashamed of me, his prisoner. Instead, by God’s power, join me in suffering for the sake of the Good News. ⁹God saved us and called us to be holy, not because of what we had done, but because of his own plan and kindness.^bBefore the world began, God planned that Christ Jesus would show us God’s kindness. ¹⁰Now with the coming of our Savior Christ Jesus, he has revealed it. Christ has destroyed death, and through the Good News he has brought eternal life into full view. ¹¹I was appointed to be a messenger of this Good News, an apostle, and a teacher.

¹²For this reason I suffer as I do. However, I’m not ashamed. I know whom I trust. I’m convinced that he is able to protect what he had entrusted to me until that day.

¹³With faith and love for Christ Jesus, consider what you heard me say to be the pattern of accurate teachings. ¹⁴With the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us, protect the Good News that has been entrusted to you.

News about Paul’s Coworkers

¹⁵You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

¹⁶May the Lord be merciful to the family of Onesiphorus. He often took care of my needs and wasn’t ashamed that I was a prisoner. ¹⁷When he arrived in Rome, he searched hard for me and found me. ¹⁸May the Lord grant that Onesiphorus finds mercy when that day comes. You know very well that he did everything possible to help me in Ephesus.

2ND CHAPTER

Remain Focused on Jesus

¹My child, find your source of strength in the kindness^aof Christ Jesus. ²You’ve heard my message, and it’s been confirmed by many witnesses. Entrust this message to faithful individuals who will be competent to teach others.

³Join me in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴Whoever serves in the military doesn’t get mixed up in non-military activities. This pleases his commanding officer. ⁵Whoever enters an athletic competition wins the prize only when playing by the rules. ⁶A hard-working farmer should have the first share of the crops. ⁷Understand what I’m saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.

⁸Always think about Jesus Christ. He was brought back to life and is a descendant of David. This is the Good News that I tell others. ⁹I’m suffering disgrace for spreading this Good News. I have even been put into prison like a criminal. However, God’s word is not imprisoned. ¹⁰For that reason, I endure everything for the sake of those who have been chosen so that they, too, may receive salvation from Christ Jesus with glory that lasts forever. ¹¹This is a statement that can be trusted:

If we have died with him, we will live with him.

¹²If we endure, we will rule with him.

If we disown him, he will disown us.

¹³If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful

because he cannot be untrue to himself.

¹⁴Remind believers about these things, and warn them in the sight of God not to quarrel over words. Quarreling doesn’t do any good but only destroys those who are listening.

¹⁵Do your best to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker who isn’t ashamed to teach the word of truth correctly. ¹⁶Avoid pointless discussions. People who ⸤pay attention to these pointless discussions⸥ will become more ungodly, ¹⁷and what they say will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are like that. ¹⁸They have abandoned the truth. They are destroying the faith of others by saying that people who have died have already come back to life.

¹⁹In spite of all that, God’s ⸤people⸥ have a solid foundation. These words are engraved on it: “The Lord knows those who belong to him,” and “Whoever worships the Lord must give up doing wrong.”

²⁰In a large house there are not only objects made of gold and silver, but also those made of wood and clay. Some objects are honored when they are used; others aren’t. ²¹Those who stop associating with dishonorable people will be honored. They will be set apart for the master’s use, prepared to do good things.

²²Stay away from lusts which tempt young people. Pursue what has God’s approval. Pursue faith, love, and peace together with those who worship the Lord with a pure heart. ²³Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments. You know they cause quarrels. ²⁴A servant of the Lord must not quarrel. Instead, he must be kind to everyone. He must be a good teacher. He must be willing to suffer wrong. ²⁵He must be gentle in correcting those who oppose the Good News. Maybe God will allow them to change the way they think and act and lead them to know the truth. ²⁶Then they might come back to their senses and God will free them from the devil’s snare so that they can do his will.

3RD CHAPTER

Watch Out for Sinful People

¹You must understand this: In the last days there will be violent periods of time. ²People will be selfish and love money. They will brag, be arrogant, and use abusive language. They will curse their parents, show no gratitude, have no respect for what is holy, ³and lack normal affection for their families. They will refuse to make peace with anyone. They will be slanderous, lack self-control, be brutal, and have no love for what is good. ⁴They will be traitors. They will be reckless and conceited. They will love pleasure rather than God. ⁵They will appear to have a godly life, but they will not let its power change them. Stay away from such people.

⁶Some of these men go into homes and mislead weak-minded women who are burdened with sins and led by all kinds of desires. ⁷These women are always studying but are never able to recognize the truth.

⁸As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men oppose the truth. Their minds are corrupt, and the faith they teach is counterfeit. ⁹Certainly, they won’t get very far. Like the stupidity of Jannes and Jambres, their stupidity will be plain to everyone.

Teach the Truth

¹⁰But you know all about my teachings, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. ¹¹You also know about the kind of persecutions and sufferings which happened to me in the cities of Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions, and the Lord rescued me from all of them. ¹²Those who try to live a godly life because they believe in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. ¹³But evil people and phony preachers will go from bad to worse as they mislead people and are themselves misled.

¹⁴However, continue in what you have learned and found to be true. You know who your teachers were. ¹⁵From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures. They have the power to give you wisdom so that you can be saved through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God’s approval. ¹⁷They equip God’s servants so that they are completely prepared to do good things.

4TH CHAPTER

Continue to Do Your Work

¹I solemnly call on you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge those who are living and those who are dead. I do this because Christ Jesus will come to rule ⸤the world⸥. ²Be ready to spread the word whether or not the time is right. Point out errors, warn people, and encourage them. Be very patient when you teach.

³A time will come when people will not listen to accurate teachings. Instead, they will follow their own desires and surround themselves with teachers who tell them what they want to hear. ⁴People will refuse to listen to the truth and turn to myths.

⁵But you must keep a clear head in everything. Endure suffering. Do the work of a missionary. Devote yourself completely to your work.

⁶My life is coming to an end, and it is now time for me to be poured out as a sacrifice to God. ⁷I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith. ⁸The prize that shows I have God’s approval is now waiting for me. The Lord, who is a fair judge, will give me that prize on that day. He will give it not only to me but also to everyone who is eagerly waiting for him to come again.

Paul’s Final Instructions to Timothy

⁹Hurry to visit me soon. ¹⁰Demas has abandoned me. He fell in love with this present world and went to the city of Thessalonica. Crescens went to the province of Galatia, and Titus went to the province of Dalmatia. ¹¹Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you. He is useful to me in my work. ¹²I’m sending Tychicus to the city of Ephesus as my representative.

¹³When you come, bring the warm coat I left with Carpus in the city of Troas. Also bring the scrolls and especially the parchments.^a

¹⁴Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will pay him back for what he did. ¹⁵Watch out for him. He violently opposed what we said. ¹⁶At my first hearing no one stood up in my defense. Everyone abandoned me. I pray that it won’t be held against them. ¹⁷However, the Lord stood by me and gave me strength so that I could finish spreading the Good News for all the nations to hear. I was snatched out of a lion’s mouth. ¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from all harm and will take me…

Read in Logos

This passage has been shortened. Keep reading 2 Timothy 1–4 in Logos

Footnotes

a 1:2 Or “Grace.”
b 1:9 Or “grace.”
a 2:1 Or “grace.”
a 4:13 Parchments are writing materials made from animal skins.