Greeting

1 Paul,^(A) an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will,^(B) for the sake of the promise of life^(C) in Christ Jesus:

² To Timothy, my dearly loved son.

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

Thanksgiving

³ I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience^(E) as my ancestors did, when I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.^{(F) 4} Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I recall your sincere faith^(G) that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice^(H) and now, I am convinced, is in you also.

⁶ Therefore, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.^{(I) 7} For God has not given us a spirit of fear,^(J) but one of power,^[a](K) love,^(L) and sound judgment.

Not Ashamed of the Gospel

⁸ So don’t be ashamed^(M) of the testimony about our Lord,^(N) or of me his prisoner.^(O) Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power^(P) of God. ⁹ He has saved us and called us with a holy calling,^(Q) not according to our works,^(R) but according to his own purpose^(S) and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. ¹⁰ This has now been made evident through the appearing^(T) of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death^(U) and has brought life^(V) and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹ For this gospel I was appointed^(W) a herald, apostle, and teacher,^{[b] 12} and that is why I suffer^(X) these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me^[c](Y) until that day.^(Z)

Be Loyal to the Faith

¹³ Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching^(AA) that you have heard from me,^(AB) in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. ¹⁵ You know that all those in the province of Asia^(AC) have deserted me,^(AD) including Phygelus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶ May the Lord grant mercy^(AE) to the household of Onesiphorus,^(AF) because he often refreshed me^(AG) and was not ashamed of my chains.^{(AH) 17} On the contrary, when he was in Rome,^(AI) he diligently searched for me and found me. ¹⁸ May the Lord grant that he obtain mercy^(AJ) from him on that day. You know very well how much he ministered at Ephesus.^(AK)

Paul’s Competence

⁴ Such is the confidence we have through Christ before God. ⁵ It is not that we are competent in^[a] ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.^{(A) 6} He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant,^(B) not of the letter,^(C) but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

New Covenant Ministry

⁷ Now if the ministry that brought death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory,^(D) so that the Israelites were not able to gaze steadily at Moses’s face because of its glory, which was set aside, ⁸ how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? ⁹ For if the ministry that brought condemnation had glory, the ministry that brings righteousness overflows with even more glory. ¹⁰ In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it. ¹¹ For if what was set aside^(E) was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.

¹⁶ Rejoice^(A) always, ¹⁷ pray constantly, ¹⁸ give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will^(B) for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹ Don’t stifle the Spirit. ²⁰ Don’t despise prophecies, ²¹ but test all things.^(C) Hold on to what is good. ²² Stay away^(D) from every kind of evil.