2 Timothy

2 Timothy

Greeting

From Paul, a sent one of the Anointed One, Jesus,

by the will of God,

according to the promise of life in the Anointed One, Jesus—

To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace

from God the Father and the Anointed One, Jesus our Master.

Remembering Your Sincere Trust

I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience,

as my ancestors did,

as I constantly remember you in my prayers, night and day.

I long to see you, remembering your tears,

so that I may be filled with joy.

I am reminded of your sincere trust,

which lived first in your grandmother Lois

and in your mother Eunice,

and I am convinced now lives in you also.

Stir Up the Gift

For this reason,

I remind you to stir up the gift of God

that is in you through the laying on of my hands.

For God has not given us a breath of fear,

but of power, love, and a sound mind.

So do not be ashamed

of the testimony about our Master

or of me His prisoner.

Instead, share in suffering for the good news,

relying on the power of God.

Called by Grace

He has rescued us and called us with a set-apart calling,

not based on our works,

but according to His own purpose and grace,

given to us in the Anointed One, Jesus,

before the ages began.

But now it has been revealed

through the appearing of our Rescuer, Jesus the Anointed One,

who has abolished death

and brought life and incorruptibility to light

through the good news.

For this I was appointed

a proclaimer, a sent one, and a teacher.

That is why I suffer as I do.

But I am not ashamed,

because I know whom I have trusted,

and I am convinced that He is able to guard

what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

Hold to the Pattern

Hold fast to the pattern of sound words

you heard from me,

in the trust and love

that are in the Anointed One, Jesus.

Guard the good deposit entrusted to you

through the Set-Apart Breath who dwells in us.

Those Who Turned Away

You know that everyone in the province of Asia

has turned away from me,

including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

May the Master show mercy

to the household of Onesiphorus,

because he often refreshed me

and was not ashamed of my chains.

On the contrary,

when he was in Rome,

he searched hard for me until he found me.

May the Master grant that he will find mercy from the Master on that day.

You know very well how much he served me in Ephesus.

———

Be Strong in the Anointed One

You then, my child,

be strengthened by the grace

that is in the Anointed One, Jesus.

And what you have heard from me

in the presence of many witnesses,

entrust to faithful people

who will be able to teach others also.

Endure Like a Soldier, Athlete, and Farmer

Share in suffering

as a good soldier of the Anointed One, Jesus.

No soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs,

but seeks to please the one who enlisted him.

Likewise, anyone who competes as an athlete

is not crowned unless they compete according to the rules.

The hardworking farmer

ought to be the first to share in the harvest.

Reflect on what I am saying,

for the Master will give you understanding in all things.

Remember the Anointed One

Remember Jesus the Anointed One,

raised from the dead,

descended from David.

This is my good news.

For this I suffer hardship,

even to the point of being chained like a criminal—

but the word of God is not chained.

Therefore I endure all things

for the sake of the chosen,

that they too may obtain the rescue

that is in the Anointed One, Jesus,

with age-enduring glory.

A Trustworthy Saying

Here is a trustworthy saying:

If we died with Him,

we will also live with Him.

If we endure,

we will also reign with Him.

If we deny Him,

He will also deny us.

If we are unfaithful,

He remains faithful—

for He cannot deny Himself.

A Worker Approved by God

Remind them of these things,

and charge them before God

not to quarrel about words—

it does no good and only ruins those who hear.

Make every effort to present yourself to God

as one approved—

a worker who does not need to be ashamed

and who rightly handles the word of truth.

Avoid godless chatter,

for it leads people deeper into ruin.

Their talk spreads like decay.

Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

who have wandered from the truth.

They say the resurrection has already happened,

and they destroy the trust of some.

Nevertheless,

the firm foundation of God stands,

sealed with this inscription:

“The Master knows those who are His,”

and,

“Let everyone who names the name of the Master

turn away from wrongdoing.”

Set-Apart for Noble Use

Now in a large house,

there are not only vessels of gold and silver,

but also of wood and clay—

some for noble use, some for common.

If anyone cleanses themselves from what is unworthy,

they will be a vessel for honorable use,

set apart, useful to the Master,

ready for every good work.

Pursue Righteousness with a Pure Heart

Flee youthful passions,

and pursue:

rightness,

trust,

love,

and peace,

together with those who call on the Master

from a pure heart.

Avoid foolish and ignorant arguments;

they only breed quarrels.

A servant of the Master must not be quarrelsome

but kind to all,

able to teach,

and patient when wronged.

In humility, correct those who oppose you.

Perhaps God will grant them a change of heart,

leading them to a knowledge of the truth,

and they may come to their senses

and escape from the trap of the Adversary,

who has taken them captive to do his will.

———

Difficult Times Will Come

But understand this:

In the last days, difficult times will come.

People will be:

lovers of self,

lovers of money,

boastful, proud, abusive,

disobedient to parents,

ungrateful, unclean,

without affection, unforgiving,

slanderous, without self-control,

brutal, not lovers of what is good,

treacherous, reckless, puffed up with pride,

lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—

having a form of reverence

but denying its power.

Avoid such people.

The Nature of Deception

They are the kind who worm their way into households

and gain control over vulnerable women,

overwhelmed by sins

and swayed by various desires—

always learning

but never able to arrive at the knowledge of the truth.

Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,

so these also oppose the truth—

people with corrupted minds

and disqualified when it comes to the trust.

But they will not advance very far,

for their foolishness will be clear to everyone,

as was the case with those men.

You Have Followed the Pattern

But you have closely followed:

my teaching,

my conduct,

my purpose,

my trust,

my patience,

my love,

my endurance,

as well as the persecutions and sufferings that came to me

in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra.

What persecutions I endured—

yet the Master rescued me from them all.

Indeed, all who desire to live reverently

in the Anointed One, Jesus,

will face persecution.

But evil people and impostors

will go from bad to worse,

deceiving and being deceived.

Continue in the Sacred Writings

But as for you,

continue in what you have learned and firmly believed,

knowing from whom you learned it.

And from childhood

you have known the set-apart writings,

which are able to make you wise for rescue

through trust in the Anointed One, Jesus.

All writings inspired by God

are beneficial for:

teaching,

correction,

restoration,

and training in what is right,

so that the person of God

may be fully equipped for every good work.

———

A Final Charge

I solemnly charge you

before God and the Anointed One, Jesus—

who is about to judge the living and the dead,

and by His appearing and His reign:

Proclaim the word.

Be ready in season and out of season.

Correct, rebuke, and encourage—

with all patience and careful teaching.

For the time will come

when people will not tolerate sound teaching,

but will gather teachers for themselves

to suit their own desires,

scratching their ears with what they want to hear.

They will turn away from listening to the truth

and wander into myths.

But you—

be clear-minded in all things,

endure hardship,

do the work of one who brings good news,

and fulfill your ministry.

Paul’s Departure and Reward

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering,

and the time of my departure has come.

I have fought the good fight,

I have finished the race,

I have kept the trust.

Now there is stored up for me

the crown of rightness,

which the Master, the righteous judge,

will give me on that day—

and not only to me,

but also to all who have longed for His appearing.

Final Requests and Greetings

Do your best to come to me soon.

For Demas, because he loved this world,

has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.

Crescens has gone to Galatia,

and Titus to Dalmatia.

Only Luke is with me.

Get Mark and bring him with you,

because he is helpful to me in service.

I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

When you come,

bring the cloak I left with Carpus at Troas,

and my scrolls—especially the parchments.

Alexander the metalworker did me much harm.

The Master will repay him according to what he has done.

Be on guard against him yourself,

for he strongly opposed our message.

The Master Stood By Me

At my first defense,

no one came to my support;

everyone deserted me.

May it not be held against them.

But the Master stood by me and gave me strength,

so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed

and all the nations might hear it.

And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

The Master will rescue me from every evil work

and bring me safely into His heavenly reign.

To Him be glory forever and ever.

Amen.

Closing Words

Greet Prisca and Aquila,

and the household of Onesiphorus.

Erastus stayed in Corinth,

and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.

Do your best to come before winter.

Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia,

and all the brothers and sisters send their greetings.

The Master be with your spirit.

Grace be with you all.