2 Timothy 1–4

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.

3But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.^{j 2}People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,^k boastful, proud,^l abusive,^m disobedient to their parents,ⁿ ungrateful, unholy, ³without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴treacherous,^o rash, conceited,^p lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—⁵having a form of godliness^q but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.^r

⁶They are the kind who worm their way^s into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, ⁷always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.^{t 8}Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,^u so also these teachers oppose^v the truth. They are men of depraved minds,^w who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. ⁹But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men,^x their folly will be clear to everyone.

A Final Charge to Timothy

¹⁰You, however, know all about my teaching,^y my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, ¹¹persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch,^z Iconium^a and Lystra,^b the persecutions I endured.^c Yet the Lord rescued^d me from all of them.^{e 12}In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,^{f 13}while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse,^g deceiving and being deceived.^{h 14}But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,^{i 15}and how from infancy^j you have known the Holy Scriptures,^k which are able to make you wise^l for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed^m and is useful for teaching,ⁿ rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,^{o 17}so that the servant of God^ap may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.^q

4In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead,^r and in view of his appearing^s and his kingdom, I give you this charge:^{t 2}Preach^u the word;^v be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke^w and encourage^x—with great patience and careful instruction. ³For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.^y Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.^{z 4}They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.^{a 5}But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship,^b do the work of an evangelist,^c discharge all the duties of your ministry.

⁶For I am already being poured out like a drink offering,^d and the time for my departure is near.^{e 7}I have fought the good fight,^f I have finished the race,^g I have kept the faith. ⁸Now there is in store for me^h the crown of righteousness,ⁱ which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day^j—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.^k

Personal Remarks

⁹Do your best to come to me quickly,^{l 10}for Demas,^m because he loved this world,ⁿ has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.^o Crescens has gone to Galatia,^p and Titus^q to Dalmatia. ¹¹Only Luke^r is with me.^s Get Mark^t and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. ¹²I sent Tychicus^u to Ephesus.^{v 13}When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas,^w and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

¹⁴Alexander^x the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.^{y 15}You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

¹⁶At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.^{z 17}But the Lord stood at my side^a and gave me strength,^b so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.^c And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.^{d 18}The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack^e and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.^f To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.^g

Final Greetings

¹⁹Greet Priscilla^a and Aquila^h and the household of Onesiphorus.^{i 20}Erastus^j stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus^k sick in Miletus.^{l 21}Do your best to get here before winter.^m Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters.^b

²²The Lord be with your spirit.ⁿ Grace be with you all.^o