2 Timothy 2:1–19

Be Strong in Grace

2You therefore, ^amy son, ^bbe strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ²And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ³You therefore must ^cendure ¹hardship ^das a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ^4eNo one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. ⁵And also ^fif anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. ⁷Consider what I say, and ²may the Lord ^ggive you understanding in all things.

⁸Remember that Jesus Christ, ^hof the seed of David, ⁱwas raised from the dead ^jaccording to my gospel, ^9kfor which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, ^leven to the point of chains; ^mbut the word of God is not chained. ¹⁰Therefore ⁿI endure all things for the sake of the ³elect, ^othat they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

¹¹This is a faithful saying:

For ^pif we died with Him,

We shall also live with Him.

^12qIf we endure,

We shall also reign with Him.

^rIf we deny Him,

He also will deny us.

¹³If we are faithless,

He remains faithful;

He ^scannot deny Himself.

Approved and Disapproved Workers

¹⁴Remind them of these things, ^tcharging them before the Lord not to ⁴strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. ^15uBe diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ¹⁶But shun profane and ⁵idle babblings, for they will ⁶increase to more ungodliness. ¹⁷And their message will spread like cancer. ^vHymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, ¹⁸who have strayed concerning the truth, ^wsaying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. ¹⁹Nevertheless ^xthe solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord ^yknows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of ⁷Christ depart from iniquity.”