2 Timothy 2:14-4:22

English Standard Version

A Worker Approved by God

¹⁴ Remind them of these things, and ^(A)charge them before God^{[a] (B)}not to quarrel about words, ^(C)which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,^[b] a worker ^(D)who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. ¹⁶ But ^(E)avoid ^(F)irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are ^(G)Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, ^(H)saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. ¹⁹ But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ^(I)“The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone ^(J)who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

²⁰ Now in ^(K)a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, ^(L)some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. ²¹ Therefore, ^(M)if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,^[c] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ^(N)ready for every good work.

²² So ^(O)flee ^(P)youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with ^(Q)those who call on the Lord ^(R)from a pure heart. ²³ Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant ^(S)controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. ²⁴ And ^(T)the Lord's servant^[d] must not be quarrelsome but ^(U)kind to everyone, ^(V)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents ^(W)with gentleness. God ^(X)may perhaps grant them repentance ^(Y)leading to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from ^(Z)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Godlessness in the Last Days

3 But understand this, that ^(AA)in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be ^(AB)lovers of self, ^(AC)lovers of money, ^(AD)proud, ^(AE)arrogant, abusive, ^(AF)disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ^3 (AG)heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, ^(AH)not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, ^(AI)swollen with conceit, ^(AJ)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but ^(AK)denying its power. ^(AL)Avoid such people. ⁶ For among them are ^(AM)those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to ^(AN)arrive at a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as ^(AO)Jannes and Jambres ^(AP)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, ^(AQ)men corrupted in mind and ^(AR)disqualified regarding the faith. ⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, ^(AS)as was that of those two men.

All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God

^10 (AT)You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, ¹¹ my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me ^(AU)at Antioch, ^(AV)at Iconium, and ^(AW)at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet ^(AX)from them all ^(AY)the Lord rescued me. ¹² Indeed, all who desire to ^(AZ)live a godly life in Christ Jesus ^(BA)will be persecuted, ¹³ while ^(BB)evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and ^(BC)being deceived. ¹⁴ But as for you, ^(BD)continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom^[e] you learned it ¹⁵ and how ^(BE)from childhood you have been acquainted with ^(BF)the sacred writings, ^(BG)which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ^16 (BH)All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that ^(BI)the man of God^[f] may be complete, ^(BJ)equipped ^(BK)for every good work.

Preach the Word

4 ^(BL)I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, ^(BM)who is to judge the living and the dead, and by ^(BN)his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; ^(BO)reprove, rebuke, and ^(BP)exhort, with complete patience and teaching. ^3 (BQ)For the time is coming when people will not endure ^(BR)sound^[g] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and ^(BS)will turn away from listening to the truth and ^(BT)wander off into myths. ⁵ As for you, ^(BU)always be sober-minded, ^(BV)endure suffering, do the work of ^(BW)an evangelist, ^(BX)fulfill your ministry.

⁶ For ^(BY)I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my ^(BZ)departure has come. ^7 (CA)I have fought the good fight, ^(CB)I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is ^(CC)laid up for me ^(CD)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, ^(CE)the righteous judge, will award to me on ^(CF)that day, and not only to me but also to all ^(CG)who have loved his appearing.

Personal Instructions

^9 (CH)Do your best to come to me soon. ¹⁰ For ^(CI)Demas, ^(CJ)in love with ^(CK)this present world, ^(CL)has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia,^{[h] (CM)}Titus to Dalmatia. ^11 (CN)Luke alone is with me. Get ^(CO)Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. ^12 (CP)Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. ¹³ When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. ^14 (CQ)Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; ^(CR)the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵ Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. ¹⁶ At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. ^(CS)May it not be charged against them! ¹⁷ But ^(CT)the Lord stood by me and ^(CU)strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and ^(CV)all the Gentiles might hear it. So ^(CW)I was rescued ^(CX)from the lion's mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. ^(CY)To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

¹⁹ Greet ^(CZ)Prisca and Aquila, and ^(DA)the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰ Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left ^(DB)Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. ^21 (DC)Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.^[i]

²² The Lord be ^(DD)with your spirit. ^(DE)Grace be with you.^[j]