2 Timothy 1–2

1Paul, an apostle^a of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^b in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,^c

²To Timothy,^d my dear son:^e

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

Thanksgiving

³I thank God,^g whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience,^h as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.^{i 4}Recalling your tears,^j I long to see you,^k so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵I am reminded of your sincere faith,^l which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice^m and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel

⁶For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.^{n 7}For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,^o but gives us power,^p love and self-discipline. ⁸So do not be ashamed^q of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner.^r Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel,^s by the power of God. ⁹He has saved^t us and called^u us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done^v but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, ¹⁰but it has now been revealed^w through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus,^x who has destroyed death^y and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹And of this gospel^z I was appointed^a a herald and an apostle and a teacher.^{b 12}That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame,^c because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard^d what I have entrusted to him until that day.^e

¹³What you heard from me,^f keep^g as the pattern^h of sound teaching,ⁱ with faith and love in Christ Jesus.^{j 14}Guard^k the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.^l

Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty

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

¹⁶May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus,^o because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed^p of my chains.^{q 17}On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. ¹⁸May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day!^r You know very well in how many ways he helped me^s in Ephesus.^t

The Appeal Renewed

2You then, my son,^u be strong^v in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ²And the things you have heard me say^w in the presence of many witnesses^x entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. ³Join with me in suffering,^y like a good soldier^z of Christ Jesus. ⁴No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. ⁵Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown^a except by competing according to the rules. ⁶The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.^{b 7}Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

⁸Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead,^c descended from David.^d This is my gospel,^{e 9}for which I am suffering^f even to the point of being chained^g like a criminal. But God’s word^h is not chained. ¹⁰Therefore I endure everythingⁱ for the sake of the elect,^j that they too may obtain the salvation^k that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.^l

¹¹Here is a trustworthy saying:^m

If we died with him,

we will also live with him;ⁿ

¹²if we endure,

we will also reign with him.^o

If we disown him,

he will also disown us;^p

¹³if we are faithless,

he remains faithful,^q

for he cannot disown himself.

Dealing With False Teachers

¹⁴Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words;^r it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. ¹⁵Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.^{s 16}Avoid godless chatter,^t because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. ¹⁷Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus^u and Philetus, ¹⁸who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place,^v and they destroy the faith of some.^{w 19}Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm,^x sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,”^y and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord^z must turn away from wickedness.”

²⁰In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.^{a 21}Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.^b

²²Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love^c and peace, along with those who call on the Lord^d out of a pure heart.^{e 23}Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.^{f 24}And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.^{g 25}Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,^{h 26}and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil,ⁱ who has taken them captive to do his will.