1 The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.

The Prophet’s Complaint

God’s Reply to the Prophet’s Complaint

Salutation

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

² To Timothy, my beloved child:

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

Thanksgiving and Encouragement

³ I 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.^{(A) 4} Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I 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.^{(B) 6} For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands, ⁷ for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.^(C)

⁸ Do 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,^{(D) 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](E) 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.^{(F) 11} For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher,^{[c](G) 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](H) 13} Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.^{(I) 14} Guard the good deposit entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

⁵ The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”^{(A) 6} The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a^[a] mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.^(B)

⁷ “Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? ⁸ Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me; put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’?^{(C) 9} Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? ¹⁰ So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’ ”