If anyone (A)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with (B)the sound[a] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching (C)that accords with godliness, (D)he is puffed up with conceit and (E)understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for (F)controversy and for (G)quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people (H)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, (I)imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But (J)godliness (K)with contentment is great gain, for (L)we brought nothing into the world, and[b] we cannot take anything out of the world. But (M)if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But (N)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, (O)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that (P)plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of (Q)all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

11 But as for you, (R)O man of God, (S)flee these things. (T)Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 (U)Fight the good fight of the faith. (V)Take hold of the eternal life (W)to which you were called and about which you made (X)the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 (Y)I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, (Z)who in his testimony before[c] Pontius Pilate made (AA)the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until (AB)the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display (AC)at the proper time—he who is (AD)the blessed and only Sovereign, (AE)the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 (AF)who alone has immortality, (AG)who dwells in (AH)unapproachable light, (AI)whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

17 As for the rich in (AJ)this present age, charge them (AK)not to be haughty, nor (AL)to set their hopes on (AM)the uncertainty of riches, but on God, (AN)who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, (AO)to be rich in good works, to be generous and (AP)ready to share, 19 thus (AQ)storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may (AR)take hold of (AS)that which is truly life.

20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. (AT)Avoid the (AU)irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.

(AV)Grace be with you.[d]

Greeting

Paul, (AW)an apostle of Christ Jesus (AX)by the will of God according to (AY)the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,

To Timothy, (AZ)my beloved child:

(BA)Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You

(BB)I thank God (BC)whom I serve, as did my ancestors, (BD)with a clear conscience, as I remember you (BE)constantly in my prayers night and day. (BF)As I remember your tears, (BG)I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of (BH)your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and (BI)your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you (BJ)to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us (BK)a spirit not of fear but (BL)of power and love and self-control.

Therefore (BM)do not be ashamed of (BN)the testimony about our Lord, nor of (BO)me his prisoner, but (BP)share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, (BQ)who saved us and (BR)called us to[e] a holy calling, (BS)not because of our works but because of (BT)his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus (BU)before the ages began,[f] 10 and which now has (BV)been manifested through (BW)the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, (BX)who abolished death and (BY)brought life and (BZ)immortality to light through the gospel, 11 (CA)for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 (CB)which is why I suffer as I do. But (CC)I am not ashamed, for (CD)I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until (CE)that day (CF)what has been entrusted to me.[g] 13 (CG)Follow (CH)the pattern of (CI)the sound[h] words (CJ)that you have heard from me, in (CK)the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit (CL)who dwells within us, guard (CM)the good deposit entrusted to you.

15 You are aware that (CN)all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to (CO)the household of Onesiphorus, for he often (CP)refreshed me and was not ashamed of (CQ)my chains, 17 but when he arrived in Rome (CR)he searched for me earnestly and found me— 18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on (CS)that day!—and you well know all the service he (CT)rendered at Ephesus.

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

You then, (CU)my child, (CV)be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and (CW)what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses (CX)entrust to faithful men,[i] (CY)who will be able to teach others also. (CZ)Share in suffering as (DA)a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier (DB)gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. (DC)An athlete is not (DD)crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is (DE)the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

Remember Jesus Christ, (DF)risen from the dead, the (DG)offspring of David, (DH)as preached in my gospel, (DI)for which I am suffering, (DJ)bound with chains as a criminal. But (DK)the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore (DL)I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain (DM)the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with (DN)eternal glory. 11 The saying is (DO)trustworthy, for:

(DP)If we have died with him, we will also (DQ)live with him;
12 (DR)if we endure, we will also reign with him;
(DS)if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 (DT)if we are faithless, (DU)he remains faithful—

for (DV)he cannot deny himself.

A Worker Approved by God

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

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

22 So (EK)flee (EL)youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with (EM)those who call on the Lord (EN)from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant (EO)controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And (EP)the Lord's servant[m] must not be quarrelsome but (EQ)kind to everyone, (ER)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents (ES)with gentleness. God (ET)may perhaps grant them repentance (EU)leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from (EV)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Godlessness in the Last Days

But understand this, that (EW)in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be (EX)lovers of self, (EY)lovers of money, (EZ)proud, (FA)arrogant, abusive, (FB)disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, (FC)heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, (FD)not loving good, treacherous, reckless, (FE)swollen with conceit, (FF)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but (FG)denying its power. (FH)Avoid such people. For among them are (FI)those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to (FJ)arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as (FK)Jannes and Jambres (FL)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, (FM)men corrupted in mind and (FN)disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, (FO)as was that of those two men.

All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God

10 (FP)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 (FQ)at Antioch, (FR)at Iconium, and (FS)at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet (FT)from them all (FU)the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to (FV)live a godly life in Christ Jesus (FW)will be persecuted, 13 while (FX)evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and (FY)being deceived. 14 But as for you, (FZ)continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom[n] you learned it 15 and how (GA)from childhood you have been acquainted with (GB)the sacred writings, (GC)which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 (GD)All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that (GE)the man of God[o] may be complete, (GF)equipped (GG)for every good work.

Preach the Word

(GH)I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, (GI)who is to judge the living and the dead, and by (GJ)his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; (GK)reprove, rebuke, and (GL)exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (GM)For the time is coming when people will not endure (GN)sound[p] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and (GO)will turn away from listening to the truth and (GP)wander off into myths. As for you, (GQ)always be sober-minded, (GR)endure suffering, do the work of (GS)an evangelist, (GT)fulfill your ministry.

For (GU)I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my (GV)departure has come. (GW)I have fought the good fight, (GX)I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is (GY)laid up for me (GZ)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, (HA)the righteous judge, will award to me on (HB)that day, and not only to me but also to all (HC)who have loved his appearing.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 6:3 Or healthy
  2. 1 Timothy 6:7 Greek for; some manuscripts insert [it is] certain [that]
  3. 1 Timothy 6:13 Or in the time of
  4. 1 Timothy 6:21 The Greek for you is plural
  5. 2 Timothy 1:9 Or with
  6. 2 Timothy 1:9 Greek before times eternal
  7. 2 Timothy 1:12 Or what I have entrusted to him; Greek my deposit
  8. 2 Timothy 1:13 Or healthy
  9. 2 Timothy 2:2 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women, depending on the context
  10. 2 Timothy 2:14 Some manuscripts the Lord
  11. 2 Timothy 2:15 That is, one approved after being tested
  12. 2 Timothy 2:21 Greek from these things
  13. 2 Timothy 2:24 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
  14. 2 Timothy 3:14 The Greek for whom is plural
  15. 2 Timothy 3:17 That is, a messenger of God (the phrase echoes a common Old Testament expression)
  16. 2 Timothy 4:3 Or healthy

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