2 Timothy 2:14–26

A Worker Who Pleases God

¹⁴Keep reminding the believers of those things. While God is watching, warn them not to argue about words. That doesn’t have any value. It only destroys those who listen.

¹⁵Do your best to please God. Be a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed. Teach the message of truth correctly.

¹⁶Stay away from godless chatter. Those who take part in it will become more and more ungodly. ¹⁷Their teaching will spread like a deadly sickness.

Hymenaeus and Philetus are two of those teachers. ¹⁸They have wandered away from the truth. They say that the time when people will rise from the dead has already come. They destroy the faith of some people.

¹⁹But God’s solid foundation stands firm. Here is the message written on it. “The Lord knows who his own people are.” Also, “All who say they believe in the Lord must turn away from evil.”

²⁰In a large house there are things made out of gold and silver. But there are also things made out of wood and clay. Some have honorable purposes. Others do not. ²¹Suppose someone stays away from what is not honorable. Then the Master will be able to use him for honorable purposes. He will be made holy. He will be ready to do any good work.

²²Run away from the evil things that young people long for. Try hard to do what is right. Have faith, love and peace. Do these things together with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ²³Don’t have anything to do with arguing. It is dumb and foolish. You know it only leads to fights.

²⁴Anyone who serves the Lord must not fight. Instead, he must be kind to everyone. He must be able to teach. He must not hold anything against anyone. ²⁵He must gently teach those who oppose him.

Maybe God will give a change of heart to those who are against you. That will lead them to know the truth. ²⁶Maybe they will come to their senses. Maybe they will escape the devil’s trap. He has taken them prisoner to do what he wanted.