2 Timothy 1:3–14

Thanksgiving and Encouragement

³I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.^{* 4}Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.^{* 6}For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands, ⁷for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.^*

⁸Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, in the power of God,^{* 9}who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace, and this grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,^{a* 10}but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ,^b who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.^{* 11}For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher,^{c* 12}and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day the deposit I have entrusted to him.^{d* 13}Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.^{* 14}Guard the good deposit entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.