Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, for¹ the promise of life that is found in Christ Jesus, ² to Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gratitude for Timothy’s Faith

³ I thank God, whom I worship and serve with a clear conscience in the manner of my forefathers,² as I constantly remember you in my prayers both day and night. ⁴ Whenever I recall your tears, I greatly long to see you, in order that I might be filled with joy; ⁵ for I am often reminded of your sincere faith,³ a faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and which I am persuaded now lives in you as well.

Gospel Boldness

⁶ For this reason I would remind you to rekindle⁴ the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands; ⁷ for God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-control.^{5 8} Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me his prisoner; but instead, join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, ⁹ who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace⁶ was granted to us in Christ Jesus measureless ages ago,^{7 10} but now has been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who broke the power of⁸ death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹ For the purpose of its advance⁹ I was appointed a herald, an apostle, and a teacher, ¹² which is also why I am suffering the things I do.¹⁰ But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have believed, and am fully convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him¹¹ as I look ahead to¹² that Day.

¹³ Hold tightly to the pattern of the sound words you heard from me, and do so in the faith and love that are found in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Through the Holy Spirit who lives in us, guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you.

Recent Developments

¹⁵ You know that all in the province of Asia turned away from me, including¹³ Phygellus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶ The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and he was not ashamed of my chains. ¹⁷ On the contrary, when he arrived in Rome he diligently sought me out and found me. ¹⁸ May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day! And as for the many ways in which he served us at Ephesus, these you know very well.

Notes

1. Lit. according to
2. Lit. from the ones born before (me)
3. Lit. the unfeigned faith within you
4. Or to keep rekindling (fan into flame); 1 Tim. 4:14
5. Or sound judgment
6. Lit. which
7. Lit. before times eternal
8. Or destroyed, abolished
9. Lit. for which
10. Lit. for which reason also I suffer these things
11. Or what was entrusted to me
12. Lit. for, unto
13. Lit. among whom are

Gospel Suffering

2 Therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things that you heard me teach¹ in the presence of many witnesses—pass them along to trustworthy men who will be able to instruct others as well. ³ Accept your share of suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No soldier on active duty entangles himself in the affairs of civilian life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him. ⁵ Likewise, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned with the victor’s wreath unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. ⁷ Think over what I’m saying, and the Lord will help you understand it all.²

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ: raised from the dead, the descendant of David³—just as I constantly proclaim in my gospel,^{4 9} and for which I suffer hardship even to the point of being chained up as an evildoer. But the word of God is not in chains. ¹⁰ This is why I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, and together with that, eternal glory. ¹¹ The saying is trustworthy: “If we died⁵ with him, we also will live with him. ¹² If we endure with him, we also will reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us. ¹³ If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.”

The Lord’s Bond-servant

¹⁴ Remind our people of these things, solemnly charging them before God⁶ not to wrangle over mere words, which is utterly useless and only leads to the ruin of the hearers. ¹⁵ Make every effort to present yourself to God as one who is tested and proven, a worker who need not be ashamed, properly handling⁷ the message of the truth. ¹⁶ But avoid profane babblings, for they will only lead to more ungodliness,^{8 17} and their empty talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have strayed from the truth, declaring that the resurrection has already taken place, thereby overthrowing the faith of some. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God still stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who belong to him,”⁹ and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”

²⁰ Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; and some are for honorable use, while others are for dishonorable. ²¹ Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter,¹⁰ he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, helpful to the Master, and ready for every good work.

²² Flee youthful lusts, and instead pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with all who call¹¹ on the Lord from a pure heart. ²³ But have nothing to do with foolish and ill-informed disputes,¹² knowing that they will only engender quarrels. ²⁴ And the Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome; rather, he must be kind to all, able to teach, and patient when wronged, ²⁵ with gentleness correcting those who stand in opposition, in hopes that God¹³ will grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and that they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken¹⁴ captive by him to do his will.

Notes

1. Lit. you heard from me
2. Lit. for the Lord will give you understanding in everything
3. Lit. of the seed of David
4. Lit. according to my gospel
5. Lit. for if we died
6. Many mss the Lord
7. Or accurately teaching
8. Or for those who indulge in them will become still more ungodly; lit. for even more will they further ungodliness
9. See Num. 16:5
10. Or these things; lit. these
11. Lit. with those who call
12. Or inquiries, speculations
13. Lit. opposition: perhaps God
14. Or possibly held

Dangerous Times Will Come

3 But recognize this: In the last days difficult and dangerous times will prevail. ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, empty braggarts, contemptuous, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ lacking natural affection, irreconcilable, slanderers, devoid of self-control, fierce, hostile to what is good, ⁴ traitors, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ maintaining a form of piety but denying its power. Steer clear of them! ⁶ For men like this¹ creep into households and captivate foolish women who are loaded down with sins and led about by various lusts; ⁷ women who are always learning, yet never able to come to an accurate understanding of the truth. ⁸ And just as Jannes and Jambres stood against Moses, so too these stand against the truth—men of corrupt minds, unapproved and rejected as regards the faith. ⁹ But they will make no further progress, for their foolishness will become evident to all, just as that of Jannes and Jambres did.²

Gospel Faithfulness

¹⁰ You, on the other hand, have closely followed my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, and perseverance. ¹¹ And you also know the persecutions and afflictions I experienced in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—what sorts of persecution I endured, and how the Lord delivered me out of them all. ¹² Yes, and all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and of which you have become convinced, remembering³ those from whom you learned them, ¹⁵ and how from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in⁴ Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed, and is therefore profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training⁵ in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may stand complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Notes

1. Lit. And avoid these, for of these are those who
2. Lit. as also that of those came to be
3. Lit. knowing, recognizing
4. Or for a salvation through faith that (is placed) in
5. Or instruction

Preach the Word!

4 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God, and of Christ Jesus (who is soon to judge the living and the dead), and by his appearing and his kingdom: ² Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convict, reprove, and exhort with all longsuffering and instruction. ³ For the time will come when they will not stand for sound doctrine, but instead will follow their own desires, piling up for themselves teacher after teacher in order to satisfy their itching ears.^{1 4} Turning their ears from the truth, they themselves will turn aside to mere myths. ⁵ But as for you, be sober and watchful in all things, endure hardships, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. ⁶ For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, a crown that the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me² on that Day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Concluding Instructions

⁹ Make every effort to come to me quickly, ¹⁰ for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone on to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹ Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. ¹² As for Tychicus, I have sent him to Ephesus. ¹³ When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus at Troas; and bring the scrolls as well, especially the parchments. ¹⁴ Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm: The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵ You yourself must be on guard against him, for he vehemently opposed our message.^{3 16} At my first defense no one appeared with me in court; instead, they all abandoned me (may it not be counted against them). ¹⁷ But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed for all the Gentiles to hear; and I was rescued from the mouth of the lion. ¹⁸ Yes, and the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely into his⁴ heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen!

Final Greetings

¹⁹ Greet Prisca and Aquila, and also the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰ Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. ²¹ Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers. ²² The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

Notes

1. Lit. but according to their desires they will pile up teachers to themselves, having itching ears
2. Or with which the Lord, the righteous judge will recompense me
3. Lit. words
4. Lit. will save me unto his